Steps That Can Help Win Delhi's Decongestion Battle

Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu recently announced a package of Rs 3,250 crore to decongest national capital Delhi, one of the most congested cities in India. The Centre plans to build rail under-bridges and over-bridges, flyovers, and expressways to achieve the goal. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on his part, wants people to walk to work or travel by bicycle or public transport to help decongest the city. But, is this enough to decongest Delhi?

Let's have a look at what ails Delhi roads:

• Delhi is on the top of the list of Indian cities in car usage. According to 2011 census, 10.79 per cent of the people in Delhi travel to workplace by car, jeep or van, while the national average is 2.7 per cent. 

• About 1,400 new cars enter Delhi roads every year. 

• According to the Centre for Science and Environment, 4.5 million people who live in slums of Delhi occupy merely three per cent of Delhi's land. But, car parking spaces in Delhi occupy nearly 10 per cent of Delhi's area. 

• In 2011, daily parking charges in Delhi's central business district was merely $ 1.32 while in London, it was $ 65.97. Remember: London, which is not as congested as Delhi, introduced congestion pricing many years ago. This lowered road congestion drastically in the city two weeks. The results were even more pronounced after the first two years. 

• Road congestion cancels out the advantages of living in Delhi. For example, if road congestion doubles the average commute, living 10 kilometer far from the central city would be similar to living 20 kilometer far from the central city in a city with uncongested roads.

Here are a few ways in which the government can lower congestion.

• If vehicles are for charged for using roads, this would help bring down road congestion substantially. The government can propose a plan to redistribute the revenues from charging people for using roads. 

• Charge people for parking on streets is another way by which the authorities can decongest Delhi roads. City streets across the world offer free parking spaces. According to studies, 30 per cent of the trips in CBDs of major cities is to find a free parking space. This is a major cause of congestion. This is especially true in overcrowded CBDs in Indian cities like Nariman Point and Connaught Place. 

• Transportation planners across the world agree that charging people for using roads using electronic congestion pricing is the best way to lower congestion. Urban planners in Delhi seems to have identified the problem.  One-time parking charges in Delhi are likely to be raised soon.  In , where 60,000 cars are added to roads every year, the police have started punishing illegal parking. 

• Private firms can reimburse the parking fee instead of offering free parking space. While this is often untried, wherever tried, employees were happier with results. This also encourage car sharing.