(Soft) MobilityPOSSIBILITIES FOR AN — INDIAN CONTEXT

Learnings and experience from the workshop

Delhi 18 million

Mumbai 20.4 million

Bangalore 8.5 million

Chennai 8.24 million

Hyderabad 6.3 million

Kolkata 16.2 million

Ahmedabad 4 million

The number

of people living in

5,161 Indian cities

and towns in 2011

is 310 million. That

is like cramming the

entire population of America

into 1/3 the place. In some

areas of Mumbai, 101,066 people live in

a square kilometer. In 2030 urban population will grow to 575 million and in 2045 it will grow to 800 million

Indian has the 2nd largest urban system in the world.

Every minute, 30 Indians leave rural India for it's cities. Estimates

predict that in the near future India will need 14 Delhis' or 18 Mum-bais' or 30 Bangalores. Every day traffic jams in Delhi alone

waste 3 million litres of fuel worth US$2.5 million. Indian metros generate 21,275 tonnes of waste every day. 60% of

the untreated sewage pollutes our rivers

and oceans. Bangalore has 10,000 US $ millionaires and 1000 slums where 25% of it's population lives... FRAGMENTS ABOUT INDIA THAT NEED QUESTIONING AND CURA-TION.

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— 0Preface Introduction

While 30% (328 million) of the Indian population is now living in urban areas, the urban growth will reach 473 million in 2021 and 820 million in 2051. As a world-wide phenom-enon, the pace of urbanization which is directly correlated to the concentration of economic wealth and human resources in a physically limited space is generating an increase of motorized vehicles, overcrowded public transport, pollution and congestion. Balanced urban development is now an imperative and requires careful understanding and coordina-tion. Interactions between economy, housing stock, social development, transportation systems, natural environment, must be well-integrated for the cities’ efficiency. This implies a radical change in the way one plans and forecasts the evo-lution of the city. All components of the city are now linked and only a systemic approach can guarantee the emergence of a broader and global development strategy.

In most major Indian cities, population and economic growth have exceeded the capacity of organization and anticipation of urban amenities, particularly in terms of mobility, water supply, sanitation, electricity, waste management and environment. This situation is particularly exacerbated in the field of transportation. In the five major metropolises of India – Delhi, Mumbai, Banga-lore, Chennai, and Kolkata – growth of motor vehicles has outpaced population growth! Nowadays, the most common strategic quandary of biggest cities is “how to retain the economic benefits of city scale while limiting the deterioration of transport performance?” Whatever are the “heavy” transport infrastructures (new roads, flyover, metro lines…), they will not be efficient if they are disconnected from issues on urban functions (economi-cal, residential, leisure, commercial...), urban density and urban renewal. Climate change, the need to reduce energy consumption and have access to renewable energy, cor-rect water management, preservation - even gain of green

Delhi 18 million

Mumbai 20.4 million

Bangalore 8.5 million

Chennai 8.24 million

Hyderabad 6.3 million

Kolkata 16.2 million

Ahmedabad 4 million

The number

of people living in

5,161 Indian cities

and towns in 2011

is 310 million. That

is like cramming the

entire population of America

into 1/3 the place. In some

areas of Mumbai, 101,066 people live in

a square kilometer. In 2030 urban population will grow to 575 million and in 2045 it will grow to 800 million

Indian has the 2nd largest urban system in the world.

Every minute, 30 Indians leave rural India for it's cities. Estimates

predict that in the near future India will need 14 Delhis' or 18 Mum-bais' or 30 Bangalores. Every day traffic jams in Delhi alone

waste 3 million litres of fuel worth US$2.5 million. Indian metros generate 21,275 tonnes of waste every day. 60% of

the untreated sewage pollutes our rivers

and oceans. Bangalore has 10,000 US $ millionaires and 1000 slums where 25% of it's population lives... FRAGMENTS ABOUT INDIA THAT NEED QUESTIONING AND CURA-TION.

?

spaces, regulating the growth of social inequality, the growth of physical and social mobility, of humans, of materials, of products and information…All these elements are pushing us to say that it is the metropolis that will yield the most efficient answers to these problems, on competitive, national and global levels. In this context, it is evident that small steps are no longer possible; an innovative and radical change is necessary. Innovation is a shift in perspective that requires time as well as clear and determined ideas. “Soft Mobility: possibilities for an Indian reality” was the first workshop organised by 7HighStreet think tank*, in the summer 2009, to understand and question one of the most important factor tied to the future of Indian cities and propose several fundamental shifts and new perspec-tives. During two weeks, a team of experts from various backgrounds (architects, urban planners & designers, philosopher, sociologists, designers, engineers) has worked extensively to collect data, interview people on their mobil-ity patterns and analyse some iconic urban situations. This workshop didn’t ended by a finished and highly detailed project, but more by a reflexion allowing identification and engagement in a dialogue concerning the priorities for a new phase of metropolitan development. A public exhibition was held, to communicate and dis-seminate ideas and perspectives developed during the workshop.

This first collective initiative was the starting point of wider process of thoughts which aims to understand the relationship between mobility and planning, focus-ing on prevalent mobility patterns in the city with the logic of low carbon solutions. This booklet gathers all the information, data and perspectives collected during the first workshop and highlight the evolution of the process since then and the development of new research topics.

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*7 High street think tank is a shared working space, a platform appropriated by INterland India / INLAB and Karun Kumbera, architects & urbanists. This space was primarily envisaged with the intention to create a ground for experimentation, production and diffusion, which op-erates beyond the realm of design, architecture and urbanism but also encompasses economy, sociology, urban anthropology, political sciences, engineering and visual research.

www.7highstreet.com

Part 1. Factsheet

— 1Automotive industry - GDP share of automotive industry (2010) : 7%- People employed in the industry : 13 million- Size of auto and ancillary industry : US$ 50 billion- Vehicles sold in India in 2008 - 2009 : 11 million- of which exports : 1.5 million- Rank in the world production : 12- Indian automotive industry turnover : 8.95 million US$) per day.

The automotive industry in the emerging countries is often used as a catalyst to create multiple small scale industry, employment and boost the international trade market.

01.(soft) mobility : possibilities for an Indian context

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— Automotive industry in India

— Germany has a fleet size that is 0.5x that of india Germany has 3.9x more cars than india Germany consumes 1.2x the amount of transport energy than India. 90% of German transport sector is fueled by oil products,5% by com-bustible renewables+waste and 2% by electricity China has a fleet size that is 1.4x that of india. — China has 4.3x more cars than india. China consumes 3.4x the amount of transport energy than India. 95% of chinese transport sector is fueled by oil products,1% by coal, 0.9% by combustible renewables+waste, 1% by electric-ity and 0.1% by natural gas.

— America has a fleet size that is 2.8x that of india. America has 20x more cars than india. America consumes 13.3x the amount of tranport energy than India. 94% of american transport sector is fueled by oil products, 4.8% by combustible renewables+waste, neg% by electricity and 2.4% by natural gas.

93% of indian transport sector is fueled by oil products, 0.3% by combustible renewables+waste, 2.2% by electricity and 4.2% by natural gas.

*Increase in motorized vehicle ownership in India (%)

1988 1998 2001 2007

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

Loans ?Economic boom ?

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—2Evolution of the registration of motorized vehicles

In India the current motorisation rate is 74/1000*. [*Motorisation rate is the number of motor vehicles in a country per thousand inhabitants of the country. It includes all road mo-tor vehicles (buses, freight, personal and commercial vehicles). The world bank describes the rate in India as 10 / 1000 but the world bank does not include two wheelers. Two wheelers are an important mode of transport for a country like India. On a recal-culation of motorisation rate including two wheelers, we achieve a rate of 74 / 1000]

This indicates a huge potential of growth domestically and it also indicates a huge opportunity to evaluate fuel diversity and modality diversity.

In comparison, the motorisation rate in Germany is 554/1000 and 838/1000 in the U.S.

Loans ?Economic boom ?

2 wheelers

Cars - 606 427

Trucks -129 312

3 wheelers - 105 630

Others - 68 843

Buses - 42164

Taxies - 31 879

Maxi Cab - 20 903

Tractors - 20 353

Trailers - 12 133

Jeeps - 8 188

2 607 536

— BangaloreThe total number of motorized vehicles in the city on 31 December 2009 was 3 653 368. (RTO)

— Number of motor vehicles registered & kept in use in Bangalore city in 2009 (RTO)

Between 1991 and 2009, the population growth in the city stood at 94% whereas the motorized vehicles growth rate was 451 % in the same period !

With 14% of annual growth of motorized vehicles, Bangalore is the highest vehicle growth rate among all million-plus people cities.

About 1000 new motorized vehicles are registered per day !

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7% 8% 35% 17% 26%7%

6% 5% 12% 21%14% 43%

7% 7% 6% 27%

8%

8%

11% 19%54%4% 4%

45%

Bangalore

Delhi

Mumbai

Kolkata

— 3Fleet composition in the 5 biggest cities in India

— Mode share in selected citiesWhen a person is doing a trip in the city, which mode of transportation is he/she using ?(Wilbur Smith Associates, 2008)

— Bangalore : budgetary allowance (2007 - 2024):

Public transport

Pedestrian facilities

Road network

Parking facilities

Grade separator

BTRAC

— 4Changing vehicular fleet composition in Banga-lore over timeWhile in 1960’s bicycles dominated the vehicle fleet in Ban-galore, their share was reduced to a mere 3% in 2009. (CRRI & Rites)

70%

10%

10%

5%5%

5%

5%

20%

50%

20%

60%

25%

3%8%

4%

CycleCarTwo wheelerPara-transit solutionPublic transport

1965

1998

2009

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40%

70%

4%

46%

% O

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EHICL

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ET%

OF T

RIPBangalore: Car city ?4,200 km of road within the BMRDA limits, 2 000 flyovers are currently under con-struction 270 roads are widened, which lead to the displacement of 300 000 people The 9km flyover is the longest in Bangalore and the second longest in the entire country ; the highest flyover is about 18 meters high,

which is equivalent to a 6 storeys building.

Buses city ?4810 BMTC Buses,Carrying 3.7 million passengers daily,Mayking 65,121 trips daily.

77 375 auto-rickshaws officially registered.

Accident rate (%): - two wheelers riders : 31 % - pedestrians : 26% - pillions : 12% - cyclists : 8%

In Bangalore, in 2009, 761 people died in a traffic accident caused by:

- Motor cycle (17%), - Car (15%), - Lorry (14%), - BMTC buses (11%)

5 668 were injured, by : - car (28%) , - Motor cycle (24%), - Lorry (7%), - Tempo (7%), - BMTC buses (6%)

cars, 2 wheelers, para-transit

solution

buses

25

15km

— 5Urban sprawl and space used The average length of a trip in Bangalore City in 2009(IIMB) :

-average:15km, (Berlin : 6.9km, Paris : 7.1km) -poor pocket: 25km

In 2001, the same average length of a trip was :-average: 7.1km, -poor pocket: 13km

TERI’s assessments in the slums did reveal that travel cost were an important issue or the poor who reportedly spend 15 to 25% of their household income on travel every month, which is a significant share.

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— 6Operating journey speed

Comparison with :— Paris : car = 15 km/hour ; cycle =17km/hour, bus=12km/hour, pedestrian= 5km/hour.

— Berlin : car=24km/hour; cycle =13km/hour, bus=17 km/hour, pedestrian=5km/hour)

Per day :A person in Bangalore spends Rs. 6.09 per Km, travels to an average length of 15 km, with an average speed of 15km/h.

Even a 5% reduction in traffic will increase vehicle speed by at least 10%

— Mode wise operating journey speed - average speed in Bangalore in 1 hour(Sudhir Gota & Prashant Mutalik)

pedestrian cyclist car bikescooter

busautorickshaw

3km/h 6km/h 15km/h 18km/h 20km/h

— 7Congestion cost

Traffic congestion cost in Indian cities means a loss of Rs. 300 billion every year

Traffic congestion cost in Bangalore means a loss of Rs. 208 million per day

Equivalent to :

- Indian automotive industry turnover Rs. 450 million per day

- Cost of metro construction Rs. 22.2 million per day

- Net income (after tax) of Infosys Rs. 7 million per day

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— 8Mobility, congestion and economic attractive-nessOverall, since 2003, the concentration of FDI projects in the top five cities has fallen by 40%.

This is partially due to :- the rising cost of land and office spaces,- the rising cost of qualified labor,- the increase of traffic jam and congestion,- the deterioration of the quality of life and the environment.

This is also correlate with the increasing attractiveness of satellite cities and Tier II cities.

1.Invest in major infrastructure and urban projects

2. Improve transport connectivity3. Provide a stable political regulatory environment 4. Encourage anti-corruptionpractices5. Support high-tech industriesand innovation6. Adopt a proactive approach to attract investors

7.Access to highly skilled labor force

8. Improve the legal framework

9. Enhance security

10. Ease of purchasing land11. Support small and medium size entreprises

12. Lower state taxation on companies

13. A better social climate

14. Easier access to credit

15. Promote CSR practices

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High Medium Low Very low

— Priority measures to improve future attractiveness in India Survey done with international CEO, MD, CFO, ...

Source : E&Y - India attractivness survey (2011)

— 9Environmental cost and impacts

Slow moving pollution: - at 75km/h, an automotive emits 6.4g of carbon monoxide per km.

- at 10km/h (the peak hour speed average) a car spews 33g of carbon monoxide per km.

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“Congestion is not the problem,but a symptom of a bigger problem of poor urban planning and uncontrolled rates of motorisation”— SUDHIR GHOTA

INCREASE OF PERSONAL AUTOMOBILESREDUCED BUS SPEED AND PERFORMANCE

MARGINALISATION OF PAVEMENTS/CYCLE TRACKS

MARGILISATION OF THE BUS LANE

INCREASE IN ROAD SURFACE - ELEVATED HIGHWAYS/FLY OVERS

CONGESTION

LACK OF STREET SPACE

OVER LOAD OF NON ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT

CITY FRAGMENTED BY INCOME

URBAN SPRAWL

REDUCED PUBLIC SPENDING ON BUSESAND ROUTES

TRANSPORT COST SUBSIDISED BY REDUCED HOUSE COST

01.(soft) mobility : possibilities for an Indian context1

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INCREASE OF PERSONAL AUTOMOBILESREDUCED BUS SPEED AND PERFORMANCE

MARGINALISATION OF PAVEMENTS/CYCLE TRACKS

MARGILISATION OF THE BUS LANE

INCREASE IN ROAD SURFACE - ELEVATED HIGHWAYS/FLY OVERS

CONGESTION

LACK OF STREET SPACE

OVER LOAD OF NON ROAD PUBLIC TRANSPORT

CITY FRAGMENTED BY INCOME

URBAN SPRAWL

REDUCED PUBLIC SPENDING ON BUSESAND ROUTES

TRANSPORT COST SUBSIDISED BY REDUCED HOUSE COST

— Self perpetuating congestion trap

In the late 19th and early 20th century, the ideology behind many of the cities in the world, was guided by urban theories that linked notions of social progress, economic development and spatial con-centration of information, human capital and wealth. Spatially, these functionalist and hygienists theories, led to the devel-opment of basics amenities: roads, com-munication networks, and city zones. Sche-matically during this phase, efforts were concentrated on city centers (business districts), functionally organised localities (residential, commercial) and connectivity through public transportation networks. Over time, these urban theories have been layered, and sometimes even replaced by economic theories of production of space as seen in the late 20th century. This layering and (or) replacement of urban theory runs parallel to the modifica-tions seen in the structure of economy. Post War industrialisation and technologi-cal innovation formed the basis of cities in the 1960s with focus shifting from utopian forms to utopian systems of urban planning. “Flexibility” and “organic” were the buzz words.

With the emergence of the economy of services in the 1980s, new proclaimed criteria of “competition and attractive-

ness” exist between cities and territories replacing older unstated criteria based on narratives of history, culture and tradition and geographical and linguistic affinities. Strong interaction between the global economy and the “modern city”, intro-duced principles of networks, interconnec-tion, concentration and exchange of flows of people, materials, energy and informa-tion as the determining form of attractive-ness and hence planning requirement. To meet this new focus on exchange and flow, local authorities focus on developing massive investment plans to acquire «ge-neric infrastructures» (airports, shipping terminals, public transportation system, highways and flyovers, IT campuses, broadband network). In Bangalore during the “IT boom”, the metropolitan area has grown independently of the efforts of city planners, in a process that we might call amorphous urbanism.

No new urban theory has emerged even as the economic territory underwent radical change because ideology has not been able to keep up with ground reali-ties speeds of change. Urban planning has become merely reactionary rather than projective. This calls for a reevaluation of urban planning methodology to cater to this period of immediacy, extensive growth and rapid change.

Part 2. Changing the mobility paradigm

01. (soft) mobility : possibilities for an Indian context1

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Some of the repercussions of the reaction-ary mode adopted by urban planning is seen in the ad-hoc land patterns, scale and cost of public amenities and inequalities of city geography. Centres or areas develop where growth has occurred, resulting in a consistent pattern of low-rise, low-density land use and urban sprawl. The scale and cost of urban and public services to public agencies has considerably increased. This period, marked primarily by a concern with flows and exchange, also symbolizes the progressive disconnection between the city (urban components), the individual (quality of life) and the natural ecosystem (natural replaced by the artificial). Popula-tion and economic growth have exceeded the capacity of organization and develop-ment of basic urban amenities (networks, publics equipments, public spaces, sewage and waste management).

A large majority of cities have become fragmented, where both social and geo-graphical barriers are reinforced: Medium income home ownership is found in mid-suburban areas where private vehicles are the only form of mobility while low income neighbourhoods are situated as far as possible for the city core. The main output of this situation is a rapid and uncontrolled rate of motorization,

congestion and traffic jams and deteriora-tion of the quality of life and environment, which contribute, to the weakening of the city in its ability to remain attractive. For public authorities, where vehicular growth has outpaced population growth, the big question is “How to retain the economic benefits at the city scale while limiting the deterioration of transport performance and quality of life?”

In India, as well as in many countries in the world, authorities answered this question by quick-fix solutions (road widening, con-struction of flyover, ring road and satellite cities, promotion of investment corri-dors,...) to address the issue of congestion. The result is a paradoxical situation where urban sprawl feeds congestion, which in turn reinforces local decision makers in the idea of increasing the capacity of transport infrastructure! But congestion phenomenon can be summed up the following statement

“The more you provide, the more it seeks”.

This situation leads cities into a vicious circle, leading to offset the lack of public investment in urban planning through the development of huge infrastructure projects.

*Image from a government brochure shows a futuristic Bangalore whose mimetic ideal, the Singapore model, is depicted in images of the proposed airport: illuminated passenger lounges, high roofs, coffee shops with uniformed attendants, glittering outlets interspaced by palm trees (1996)Source : B. Salomon - Occupancy Urbanism : Ten Theses

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---A strategy that combines spatial and energy efficiency, revitalisation of exist-ing urban fabrics, integration of non-built spaces and ecosystems, development and encouragement of soft infrastructure, and emergence of strategic urban governance forms the basis of the ideology of contem-porary urban ideology.

‘Soft’ mobility is way to investigate contemporary urban mobility by looking at mobility through a lens of energy and ecology, infrastructure, spatial equal-ity and democratisation of the city and economy along with the given fundamen-tals of optimisation and efficiency. Generic infrastructure has proved to be a single layer in the infrastructural spectrum in a city and not the only one, this is also the belief of authorities and businesses as the ubiquitousness of <<generic infrastruc-ture>> does not meet demands of quality of life and economic attractiveness of the city. The past decade, has shown the col-lapse of planning solutions only based on transportation and infrastructure develop-ment plans.

Hence it is time adopt a systematic and holistic approach to integrate all components of the city, and measur-ing the relevance of choices in the mid and long-term perspectives.

URBAN THEORIES

1898 1922 1924 1932

1908 1956 1970 1940s

Sir Ebenezer HowardGarden City

Le CorbusierLa Ville Contemporaine

L. Hilberseimer High Rise City

Frank LLyod WrightBroadacre City

Continued

Hierarchy of streetEfficient mobility

PLANNING AUTHORITY VISION FOR THE CITIES OF INDIA

Creation of SuburbiaDesigned for the automobile and other motorised transport

Oscar NiemeyerBarsilia Hong Kong Palm Springs California

The Griffins’ Canberra Australia

URBAN REALISATION of the THEORIES (partially)

TOWARDS AN AUTOMOBILE PLANNED CITY

HygienistQuality of life and reduction of urban sprawl and slums

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URBAN THEORIES

1898 1922 1924 1932

1908 1956 1970 1940s

Sir Ebenezer HowardGarden City

Le CorbusierLa Ville Contemporaine

L. Hilberseimer High Rise City

Frank LLyod WrightBroadacre City

Continued

Hierarchy of streetEfficient mobility

PLANNING AUTHORITY VISION FOR THE CITIES OF INDIA

Creation of SuburbiaDesigned for the automobile and other motorised transport

Oscar NiemeyerBarsilia Hong Kong Palm Springs California

The Griffins’ Canberra Australia

URBAN REALISATION of the THEORIES (partially)

TOWARDS AN AUTOMOBILE PLANNED CITY

HygienistQuality of life and reduction of urban sprawl and slums

REALITY SUITED TO INDIAN CITIES IN 2012

Megastructure: high density mixedusepartially non motorised

TOWARDS A MULTI MODALITY PLANNED CITY

URBAN THEORIES

URBAN REALISATION of the THEORIES (partially)

HyperstructureNon motorised or low carbon transport

1953 1960 1964 1970

1967 2006

Yona FriedmanSpatial City

Kenzo TangeMetabolism

Archigram Plug-in City

Paolo SoleriArcology

Moshe SafdieMontreal

Sir Norman FosterMasdar

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REALITY SUITED TO INDIAN CITIES IN 2012

Megastructure: high density mixedusepartially non motorised

TOWARDS A MULTI MODALITY PLANNED CITY

URBAN THEORIES

URBAN REALISATION of the THEORIES (partially)

HyperstructureNon motorised or low carbon transport

1953 1960 1964 1970

1967 2006

Yona FriedmanSpatial City

Kenzo TangeMetabolism

Archigram Plug-in City

Paolo SoleriArcology

Moshe SafdieMontreal

Sir Norman FosterMasdar

1900

Vehicular movement airbornecable/track modality

Multi level movement Congestion is a problem

1910 1920

URBAN MODALITY VISIONS

1930 1940

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1900

Vehicular movement airbornecable/track modality

Multi level movement Congestion is a problem

1910 1920

URBAN MODALITY VISIONS

1930 1940

Solar energy!

Demanding for safety and clean air

Rethinking car travel

Blade Runner : collective representation of urban catastrophia !

Scientific modality

URBAN MODALITY VISIONS

1950 1960

1970 1980

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Solar energy!

Demanding for safety and clean air

Rethinking car travel

Blade Runner : collective representation of urban catastrophia !

Scientific modality

URBAN MODALITY VISIONS

1950 1960

1970 1980

1940s 1960s 2010s

URBAN MODALITY VISIONS

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1940s 1960s 2010s

URBAN MODALITY VISIONS

Every form of mobility has an optimum distance of travel. Multi modality mobility solutions in city allow for a realisation of that optimal distance. Cities have to be planned for multi modality mobility solutions.

Amount of space required to transport the same number of passengers by car, bus or bicycle.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

SERVICES

PERSONAL (FAMILY/INDIVIDUAL <20KM/HR)

DISABLED/ELDERLY

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SERVICES

PERSONAL (FAMILY/INDIVIDUAL <20KM/HR)

DISABLED/ELDERLY

— 1Towards a new metropolitan strategy -The growth of Indian cities comes from an exponential economic development often accelerated by other markets. Today, with the changing global economy, Indian me-tropolises are confronted with an impend-ing paradigm shift.

How must the economy manage the struc-ture of emerging territories? With what socio-spatial consequences?

In this context, two hypotheses emerge:

- Should we give priority to economically innovative activities which are developing on a global scale, without strong regulation of the important consequences this develop-ment could have on the lifestyles (generally speaking) of the inhabitants of the city?

- Or on the contrary, should we imagine that it is the improvement of spatial, social, and environmental factors that will engender innovative activities, creating new, better working conditions?

Our idea is that the second hypothesis, even if it doesn’t reflect collective trends, is more interesting and fertile. We are con-vinced that before the lifestyles and per-

Part 3. Learning from the workshop

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formances of the residents can improve, there must first be an environmental, infrastructural, and urban reconstruction. In this context, the demand for growth in mobility must not be looked at negatively and condemned.

Strong mobility is indispensable for an open and democratic society. All individu-als should be free to travel in sanitary conditions, in good time, all over the city. But the main shift in this strategy is to reduce the use of individual motor-ized transport within the metropolis. This implies the construction of a new geography of central urban spaces as well as open natural spaces (using multiple tools for urban renewal), by developing a grid on all scales to guarantee the most isochronous permeability and accessibility.

In a prospective view, the urban fabric must become permeable, connected and accessible, in order for the city to adapt to the rising need for renewable energy, to evolving lifestyles, and to the amalgama-tion of diverse activities. The emergence of an urban form of “soft mobility,” will be capable of structuring projects on a local scale, and within a strategy on a metropolitan scale. To guarantee this scaled permeability and articulation, soft mobility networks must be developed

using and optimizing the already existing networks (railway, public transportation lines, pedestrian walkways, street net-works…) and integrated into the city’s ele-ments (public spaces, poles of administra-tion, commerce, and leisure). This network must be organized by interconnection hubs. These spaces must manage flow, interconnections, and become significant poles in themselves—fundamental points which make the agglomeration more easily decipherable.

— lakes and tanks

— tanks and drains

— non-participatory lands

— valleys

—road network

— urban expansion by 2020

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— 2Metropolitan strategy / reveal the existing componentsUrban renewal process : In Bangalore’s particular case, fu-ture urban development must be re-evaluated for available mutable spaces. The many “noncity” spaces, characterized by urban and railway neglect, military spaces, gigantic pri-vate land corporations, make Bangalore a fragmented city, heterogeneous and discontinuous. It is time to imagine a public re-appropriation of these spaces, in order to develop new, more dense and durable sections of the city, brought on by the need to establish large, open, public and natural, permeable and interconnected spaces.

Ulsoor lake

Belandur lake

Park and go !transportation hub

I am a potential !(railway network)

I am a potential !(non-participatory land)

PALACE GROUND568 acres3 47 31 182ft²5x Race course7x Bangalore Gulf

Strenghts / transport connectivity (road and railway track) / availability of the land / already uses as an entertainement and cultural place / closeness with Cub-bon Park

Objectives / develop and consolidate the area as an “enter-tainment and cultural hub” / create a lei-sure corridor related with Cubbon Park

Potential program : Metropolitan equip-ment / exhibition center / housing / entertainment park / public park

MILITARY LANDS372 acres1 62 04 190 ft²

Strenghts / transport connectivity (road and railway track) / closeness with Palace ground

Objectives / imagine the evolution of the military lands in a prospective approach / develop a urban renewal project to limit urban sprawl / optimise the location of the urban transport system to increase density of these lands

Potential program : Housing / pedestrian and cycle path / park

MILITARY LANDS2 320 acres10 01 05 840 ft²23 x Cubbon Park50 x Infosys Campus

Strenghts / close to central Bangalore and Ulsoor Lake / transport connectivity (road and railway track)

Objectives / imagine the evolution of the military lands in a prospective approach / develop a urban renewal project to limit urban sprawl / optimise the location of the urban transport system to increase density of these lands

Potential program : Housing / military offices / commercial and high tech use / pedestrian and cycle path / park

Ulsoor lake

Palace Ground

Sankeytank

— 3City center possibilities

Parks / public spaces

URBAN RENEWAL POTENTIAL PROGRAM

Overall program break-up [proposition]

Housing Soft mobilitynetwork

Commercial high tech use

Cultural andleisure

Militaryoccupation

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— 4Urban renewal and soft mobility network The project proposes to use existing public transportation lines (railway, existing and proposed metro lines) and the spaces constituted by the drains, to implement the network of soft mobility, so as to bypass intersections and pos-sible conflict with other modes of transportation, allowing for an efficient way to traverse Bangalore. The connections between these routes are managed at the street level, with specific developments, guaranteeing safety and comfort in their use.

Ulsoor lake

Ulsoor lake

— 5Pilot project for soft mobility network implementation

Railway tracks : 130 kmDrain network : 570 km

Soft Mobility along the railway tracks:the railway is currently an important urban divider. It constitutes a physical delineation between localities. The main challenge of this process is to re-appropriate the railway as a system to implement soft mobility infra-structure and to generate urbanity. It is struc-turally reconfigured (elevated, trench, under-ground) and especially in its width (crossover devices, managed public spaces…)

Soft mobility and drain network:In the short-term perspective, the waste and sewage managment must be reconsidered. This is a sanitation and environmental obliga-tion. Within this proposal, the physical space generated by the covering of the drains could be used to develop a network of soft mobility and pluri-functional public spaces. Different technical systems have been developed to op-timize and manage water purification, biomass reuse, and energy generation

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Drain systems and overhead pathwaysRailway crossing

+Road network

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— 6City strategy creating a layer of program and movement along the ‘soft-mobility’ network

+Biophysical network : an alternative potential for the urban development ?

+Road network

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The existing road network is treated as a system to facili-tate efficient movement and connectivity for motorised city traffic. It is treated differentially when it meets a junction of the soft mobility network to allow for transition between the social network and the transport network

— 6City strategy creating a layer of program and movement along the ‘soft-mobility’ network

+Biophysical network : an alternative potential for the urban development ?

The soft mobility street network functions for interaction and low motorised connectivity across the city. This network is programmed with cultural and community economic programmes like urban agriculture, local stadiums, cafes and markets, music spaces.

Participants of the workshop | Soft Mobility : possibilities for an Indian context (July 30th - August 9th)Margot Pons, Virginie Maurice, Deepak Prasad, Karun Kumbera, Clara Daguin, Violaine Buet-Kumbera, Bérengère Mercier, Alexandre Vuillaume, Thibault Nugue.

Booklet conceptionNaina Gupta, architect - researcherShruti Chamaria, graphic designerThibault Nugue, urban planner & designer

EditionINterland India & INLABMarch 2012

Naina GuptaShruti ChamariaThibault Nugue

http://issuu.com/INterland/docs/soft_mobility_09/1

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Rethinking the urban metabolism of Indian cities, is a program of applied research-es, initiated by the INLAB and various partners, which aims to question the model of development of Indian metropolis, develop some new thoughts, idea and concepts, to ad-dress the concerns of our complex reality. Initiated by a generation aware of the urgency to tackle the challenges posed by climate change, the main objective of this program is to build an analysis and vision of a city more sustainable, balanced and effective in the Indian context. By the involvement of various professionals and partners to broad skills, the program should fuel the debate on the development of Indian cities, through a scien-tific, rigorous, non-partisan and shared approach.

This program is divided in four pilot projects :2a - Urban renewal strategy in indian cities :

Pilot Project : Exploring the potential along the metro line (Bangalore)The construction of the Metro in Bangalore offers a unique opportunity to initiate this process of urban renewal and densification. For this it is essential to change our pattern of thinking about the link between mobility and urban planning. It is in this perspective that INLAB wish to conduct an initial study, with the aim of dem-onstrating the benefits of elaborating a strategic plan for the urban regeneration in the perimeter of influence of the metro. | read more !

2b - Urban ecology in indian cities : the need to integrate biophysical spaces in urban areas : The main purpose of this research is to reveal the potential and the role of the urban ecology in the evolu-tion of the indian metropolitan areas. Noting the fact, that the common approach to reveal the historical, natural or symbolic value of the existing biophysical spaces unfortunately does not weigh against the economic and functional arguments that lead to a rapid and metastatic urbanization, the position of the team reflects the determination to build a multidisciplinary constructive approach…

2c - Soft Mobility ² : possibilities for an indian context : this project as an extension of the first workshop (Soft Mobilities, possibilities for an indian context), intends to study the conditions of interaction between mobility and urban (re-)development of Indian cities…

2d - Urban culture : Collective intelligence in indian cities : this study is based on the hypothesis that urban culture should be part of urban development policy and urban fabric. It is developed and harnessed by creating the structural framework that permits the spontaneous sprouting of sub cultures. The structural framework might be policies that encourage public space, public ameni-ties and equal participation frameworks or urban planning strategies that facilitate public interaction, dialogue and learning.

Programs under development - INLAB

www.in-lab.org

www.in-lab.org

urban think tanknot for profit organisation