A cursory analysis of the Delhi Metro’s passenger data shows that the bulk of commuters opt for short distance trips, less than 3 km. "There’s a huge, untapped market for short-distance commuting, something which cycling and using rickshaws is best suited to," says Nalin Sinha, whose NGO, Initiative for Transportation and Development Programmes (ITDP), is involved in the research and advocacy of non-motorized transport. "Most Delhiites are comfortable with this form of transport. It is cheap, and if organised and integrated into the system, it could act as an excellent door-to-door feeder system to the Metro and the BRT," he says. Later this year, ITDP will release a useful map on the safest cycling and walking routes present in Delhi.
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First World cities like New York and London, while collecting best practices examples from around the world to solve their traffic woes, have shown a groundswell of support for rickshaws, which they are introducing on their roads as ‘eco taxis.’ It is ironic then that cities like Delhi and Shanghai, which actually spawned these wonderful contraptions, are doing everything they possibly can to evict them.
(Just as an aside, if you’re a cycling enthusiast, you might consider joining the Delhi Cycling Club. The club currently has about 250 members and conducts monthly recreational excursions. To sign up, point your web browser to www.itdpindia.org)
