People in Lahore desperately want #publictransit

Sharifs hope to ride transit scheme to victory - The Globe and Mail: "Lahoris continue to pack the Turkish-operated bus service. A ticket is only 20 rupees, or about 20 cents. And it is the first-ever mass public transit project in a country where millions of people who cannot afford a car or motorcycle must endure lengthy daily commutes in the heat in a private network of decades-old fume-spewing buses, rickshaws, minivans and often on foot in order to get to work and back home.

“We have changed the way people think about travelling,” said Mr. Shah, a U.S.-educated and trained transport engineer in charge of the bus system. “A journey that took about 100 minutes now can be done in 62 minutes in an air-conditioned bus, very comfortably.”

The system was built for 40,000 riders, but has attracted 125,000 riders a day, Mr. Shah added."

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Will Pune turn into another Mumbai?

Draft Development Plan for Pune (old city limits) Published. Citizens must file Objections by 26 April 2013:

• Any vacant plot in the city grabbed by the PMC
• 4 FSI zone along the entire Metro corridor for half a kilometer on both sides – even if the Metro is never built!
• 3 FSI for Cluster development in the city – entire blocks bulldozed for erecting new buildings
• 4 FSI for 4-star and 5-star hotels and private hospitals
• Open/Recreational Spaces reduced
• River and Lakes to be paved over for more roads and housing complexes
• Hill Tops and Hill Slopes, Green Zones to be made into SEZs, IT Parks and Amusement Parks
• No provision for slums or Low Income Housing
• Arbitrary and ad hoc proposals without any supporting studies or surveys

More evidence of a split in corporate elite over oil

On Earth Day, company CEOs walk to work in Gurgaon | Vancouverdesi.com: "“This is a start which will set the ball rolling for larger agendas like reducing pollution, limiting traffic on the road and popularizing use of public transport,” said Deep Kalra, CEO, MakeMyTrip."

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Ludhiana-Bangalore cycling tour to promote public transport and cycling

Indian Express: " "I just want to see mentality of people of Ludhiana change. They need to realise the importance of public transport and eco-friendly transport like cycles," "

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The way out of the mess on road - The Hindu

The way out of the mess on road - The Hindu: "The public transport system is the most effective way of reducing the number of vehicles as well as emissions"

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Cars choking Kashmir

Commuter services in shambles - Kashmir Times: "The unregulated growth of the cities and small towns in Jammu and Kashmir has continued to add to the woes of the motorists in terms of parking slots. Unplanned growth of the towns and lack of efficient and credible public transport system is furthering adding to the woes of the commuters in various parts of the state. The two capital cities of Srinagar and Jammu are the worst affected so far as the parking slots for the car owners are concerned or the public transport services which are totally missing."

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Road accidents biggest health issue for youth in India

Medics advocate injure-free, safe driving | Vancouverdesi.com: "“Youth will have to be healthy to be productive, and the biggest problem facing Indian youth are road accidents and not any other health issues,” he said."

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Cars choking the economy in Bangalore

The Times of India: "Excessive use of private vehicles on available road space is inefficient use of precious urban land. "

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