Revoke the Cycle & NMT Ban in Kolkata Kolkata Police has banned Cycles and Non-motorized transport (Cycle, Cycle rickshaws, Bakery Vans, Handcarts etc) from 174 thoroughfares in Kolkata - virtually meaning a blanket ban to regulate traffic. To: Surajit Kar Purkayastha, Commissioner of Police, Kolkata Smt Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal Sub: Request for Revoking Ban and providing solutions to Non Motorized Transport in Kolkata Respected Madam, Cycle Satyagraha is a civil society movement organized by Switch-ON & Ride 2 Breathe and supported by various civil society organizations & concerned citizen of Kolkata & India. The extended ban on non-motorized transport (Cycle, Cycle rickshaws, Bakery Vans, Handcarts etc) covering 174 thoroughfares in Kolkata - virtually meaning a blanket ban - has surprised and disturbed us. We have tried to reach out to concerned authorities but have been unsuccessful and now seek your leadership in the matter. You have inspired Kolkata and won hearts with your motto of “Maa Maati Mansuh”. Cycle is a perfect manifestation of your slogan and vision - since Bicycles and non-motorized transport are socially inclusive, directly support livelihoods, inexpensive; take much less space, good for the environment and health, and least likely to cause jams and accidents. Mayor of London calls cycling an integral part of the transport network and all government and international agencies have stressed that cycling and NMT infrastructure must be given priority. According to a report from EU – 73 % of Europeans think that bicycles should benefit from preferential treatment compared with cars, similarly a rapid survey done by CSE in Kolkata shows 60% respondents said cycles and NMT should be given space. Many cities in india are already taking a lead in building cycle lanes and infrastructure. Non Motorised Transport (NMT) is integral to Kolkata since it supports - · Livelihood and Socially Inclusive – According to MoUD Trips by cycle in Kolkata (11 per cent) outnumber trips by cars (8 per cent). 25 Lakh cycle trips made by carpenters and masons, from the milk man and newspaper vendor to office clerks and courier delivery in kolkata everyday · Urban Infrastructure- Kolkata speed of traffic varies between 14-18 km/ hour, a cycle can match this speed. Kolkata the third most populous metro in India has the least number of private cars and also the least amount of road space (6 per cent) and the dense inter – mediate transport networks is meant for Non motorized transport. · Environment and Save Pollution - Kolkata is the most polluted metropolitan city in the country. WBPCB indicates that automobiles account for nearly 50 per cent of the air pollution load. UNEP points out that Transport sector is the second largest contributor to CO2 emissions in India. · Health and Safety - Only 1.5 per cent of road accidents happen due to fault of cyclists against 71 per cent due to faults of motor vehicle (MOT, GOI) . Because of cities air pollution, Kolkata is the ‘lung cancer’ capital of the country and 70% city inhabitant suffer from respiratory diseases. · Economy – Petrol price has risen by 16% in the last four months, while India imports on more than ¾ of its crude oil which is putting a lot of stress on the Economy. Therefore, we request you revoke the ban and setup and head a Non-motorized cell in Kolkata, where local authorities can work with experts to find a holistic solution to kolkata’s development that focuses to provide safety to pedestrians and Non Motorised Transport through building of cycle tracks, and public cycle scheme and sharing systems. We write to you with a lot of optimism, that you will take immediate action on the above matter. We pledge our cooperation to you in the setup of the NMT Cell. Thank you very much in advance. Sincerely, [Your name] https://change.org/en-IN/petitions/revoke-the-cycle-nmt-ban-in-kolkata?alert_id=xnWlZYKDHZ_GisIVgYQfA&utm_campaign=41290&utm_medium=email&utm_source=action_alert
Posted on: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 04:11:56 +0000
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