6.
Regulatory Reform Proposal for Urban Mobility in India
Based on research on the regulatory framework in select cities, engagement with stakeholders and analysis of regulators in other sectors and countries, the following regulatory reforms can be undertaken in the urban mobility sector: 1.
Technical body for setting standards
The Indian Road Congress (IRC) is a registered society of highway engineers that hosts a national forum for exchanging ideas on planning, design and construction of roads and highways. It works closely with the Government to sets codes of practice, specifications and standards. However, the focus is only on roads, without regard to essential features such as access for non-motorized mobility, planning for vending zones, bus and para transit stops, lighting, tree shade, water permeability. Also, the recommendations are not mandatory when cities design urban mobility infrastructure. In its place, a technical organization- the Central Mobility Authority- can be set up under a central act to conduct research, provide technical guidance and provide statutory standards that are mandatory for states to follow. The proposed authority is to be set up separately from the state Sustainable Urban Mobility Act. 2.
Institutional framework
There is currently no law governing urban mobility. Since transport is concurrent subject, states can legislate on mobility. Institutional reform in the urban mobility sector can be carried out through an overarching Sustainable Urban Mobility Act, to be passed at the state level. The Motor Vehicle Act only covers motorized vehicles, hence a state law on urban mobility would not contravene or impinge on the implementation of the MV Act. The components of this reform are: State Urban Mobility Law; Urban Mobility Regulator at the city level; State Urban Mobility Policy to be updated regularly and rules for interaction between government agencies involved in urban planning. 3.
Market regulator
Research on the regulatory environment in cities across India has shown that an effective market regulator at the city level needs to have legislative backing. A city-based independent regulator can be set up to perform the following functions: •
Set tariffs for public, private and shared mobility services
