Public transport – the low hanging fruit
Promoting public transport could prove to be a low hanging fruit. However, adoption can be expanded, not just by providing more buses, but by ensuring the first and last mile connectivity, formalising the networking with Intermediate Public Transport (IPT) like auto rickshaw, taxis, other feeder services and by improving the pedestrian infrastructure. Metropolitan Transport Corporation (MTC), Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) and IPT have to come on a single platform to offer seamless travel facility. With these measures, we need to target a 50 per cent share of public transport, apart from making walking and cycling possible.
Accelerating EV
Adoption of EV is another effort at reducing imported oil dependency. Apart from the tax incentives and the subsidy schemes of the government of India, expanding the charging infrastructure is critical. Government must ensure compulsory provision of EV charging infrastructure in multi story buildings, office and commercial complexes and government offices. Portal for charging infrastructure with alerts for vacant charging slots nearby would accelerate EV adoption. The present subsidy scheme for electric buses could be made more flexible by offering per bus subsidy to the state transport corporations, instead of the central government conducting bids.
Beyond Oil
Renewable energy has a huge potential to improve energy security. Both the central and state governments should address the concerns of the state utilities, so that the full potential of renewable energy is realised. While energy security is always an important goal for the country, this crisis has brought into sharp focus the urgency to adopt all means to achieve energy security. Both the central and the state governments have to set the path for energy security and the time frame to achieve it. -The Author is a Retired IAS Officer