Smart’ Indore shows the way!

Ours is a country which is full of VIP culture, and where enforcing measures for the common good is not only difficult, most of the times they fail. Crazy urbanisation and its fall outs, environmental issues being faced by citizens in India day in and day out are not hidden from anyone. New Delhi or Kanpur; Pune or Bengaluru– all are suffering from water scarcity to traffic jams, urban crimes to environmental challenges, almost daily, putting people under all kinds of stress. Yet sometimes we see a glimmer of hope.

So, when you see a High Court Judge, an IAS officer as Collector of an important district, a senior IPS officer, the Member of Parliament and the Mayor taking to public transport or walking to their offices shunning petrol-guzzling official cars, you may perhaps like to pinch yourself and check if you are in India.

Well, all of them and many other ‘VIPs’ of the historic city of Indore responded to the call of Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava last month and celebrated ‘No Car Day’ by either walking to the office, bicycling or riding a two-wheeler. A few officials and judges took to public transport such as a bus or an e-rickshaw. This was just unprecedented! Justice Vivek Rusia was seen riding a scooter just like the helmet-wearing Mayor Bhargava, a former additional advocate general. Others like Justice Sushurut Dharmadhikari, the Administrative Judge, preferred public transport. Police Commissioner Makrand Deoskar, IPS and Collector Illya Raja T also did not use their cars that day. All of them are important functionaries in their own right and their actions inspired commoners. Public at large gave ‘thumps up’ to what they did. Such laudable actions are normally witnessed abroad hence the Indoreans were surprised to see judges, bureaucrats and politicians using transport meant for ‘We The People’. For a change, Indore’s VIPs set an example before the nation.

In Europe or America, you don’t see high-ranking officials or politicians blaring sirens or having large plates displaying designations and ranks on their official cars. Nor do the politicians behave the way Indian leaders of any party do by stopping entire traffic in the name of security threat when they move in a city. If a minister goes unnoticed from a crowded place we, unfortunately, don’t consider him to be a very important person (VIP). He has to have a car with sirens; beacon light atop; a pilot car and police vans in tow. While PM Narendra Modi has tried to discourage the VIP culture, not much impact of the same is felt by the society. Instead of red lights atop their cars, now they use hooters brazenly. In this backdrop, what Indore experienced on 22nd September stands out. Of course, the officials cannot do this always, nor is that expected of them, but people expect that they should also be equally concerned about environment. It was for the environmental cause that the Indore Mayor had given a call to shun cars. Brussels, Paris, Kolkata and scores of other cities observed this day to curb carbon emissions each year. But not many city managers in India thought of it. Incidentally, national capital New Delhi had once experimented ‘Odd- Even’ system of car use on the roads to some good result but it was given up for political reasons.

‘World No Car Day’ or ‘Car-Free Day’ is observed globally on different days with a common goal—improving the air quality and decongesting the already jammed city roads. It also brings down road accidents and improves road safety. Incidentally, London Mayor Sadiq Khan got re-elected in 2021 on the basis of his green initiatives, including enforcing Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to regulate car usage and curb emissions. In Jakarta, they do ‘No car’ experiment more frequently in a year.

In India this measure—so badly needed–was almost absent. Therefore, the response to Indore’s maiden effort was overwhelming. Not that all cars went off the road but it did have an impact: 12% less cars were seen plying and about 10% less petrol was consumed, local media reported. In future it may improve if consistent efforts are made with better planning.

Curiously, Indore is famous for making innovative experiments and the uniqueness of the city, well-known for numerous reasons, is that people respond to good initiatives instantly. Resultantly, Indore is India’s cleanliest City for six consecutive years, as per Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) ranking under the Swachh Bharat Mission of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was also among the first Open Defecation (ODF) Free cities, led by Zila Panchayat’s young CEO Asheesh Singh about six years ago. And recently, at the national Smart City Convention, President Murmu awarded it for being the Best Smart City too. Once a top textile hub where philanthropist GovindramSeksaria owned cotton textile mills in last century or from where India’s first test cricket captain, CK Nayudu led the team to England in 1932, Indore has added many feathers to her cap with some severe shortcomings.

Yes, people call it a city where the land mafia rules the roost and where government agencies like Indore Development Authority (IDA) is accused of being anti-people and criticised for acting as a private land developer. Yet, Indore is being rated as one upcoming city where people want to go and live.

With more and more new population making Indore its home, it is imperative that reducing vehicular emissions to improve environment is the most urgent action required. The latest urban innovation has highlighted the contribution of the citizenry with mighty judiciary and bureaucracy supporting it whole-heartedly. Indore has two Ramsar wetlands (carbon sinks) conserved by NGOs but they need attention of the officialdom. Not many cities have two Ramsar sites declared by the Geneva-based organisation Ramsar Convention, in one city in one year (2022). But now the ball is in the court of the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) for showing more interest in protecting the water bodies and bird habitats.

Indoreans, however, feel that if cars are not to be used, efficient public transport is required and if they have to walk, the footpaths must be in nice condition and without encroachments, just like the way we see them in any modern city in Europe.

Most Indian cities witness urban chaos and environmental challenges because municipal corporations are in a bad shape. This must change to make cities habitable be able to breathe fresh air. If local bodies are not governed well, cities may not be as livable as they should be. Indore has shown the way with a smart baby step! Next year one expects Indore does a better job and other Indian cities follow suit.