Kolkata City Dialogue on Air quality and transportation challenge: An agenda for action

Kolkata, March 16, 2011

This workshop was supported by Jamsetji Tata Trust

New Delhi based Centre for Science and Environment in collaboration with the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority(KMDA) has jointly organized a day long meet -- “Kolkata City Dialogue on Air quality and transportation challenge: An agenda for action” on March 16, 2011 in Royal Bengal auditorium at City Center, Salt Lake City, Kolkata.

This is a part of our ongoing effort to engage to strengthen policy action on clean air and public health as well as urban mobility in our cities and raise public awareness. This collaborative workshop has brought together the key regulators civil society groups, experts and industry representatives from the city, who are involved with city governance, air pollution and transportation policies. This has been an opportunity to share experiences and lessons from Delhi and other cities.
Kolkata’s strong response towards the issues related to traffic congestion, air quality management and mobility challenges in the city will positively help in constructing the next generation policies.

Highlights of the city dialogue were:

• The breaking down of Tram transportation system in the city.

• No space for hopping on and off the trams as one gets stuck in the middle of the traffic.

• Public transport and flyovers are not the solutions until Kolkata has its ‘pedestrian policies’ in making  which should comprise of convenient and safe walking spaces. Safety can be maintained by a collaborative effort from both traffic police and street venders.

• Providing dedicated lanes for different transport system which also includes tramps.

• Strict parking policies must be made to check traffic congestion.

• Personal cars must be charged with more distance they travel.

• Use of diesel vehicles(especially the ones which are old) must be prohibited, vehicles which run by Compressed Natural Gas(CNG) must be introduced to reduce the emission of particulate matters(PM) which are health hazards.