Urban Transport Infrastructure March 2022 by Urban Transport News

WOMEN IN TRANSPORT SPECIAL Need for gender considerations in Transport systems

EXECLUSIVE INTERVIEW Manjula Vinjamuri, Mala Ramachandran, Sathya Kumaran

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URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE | MARCH 2022 | ISSUE 20

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34 INTERVIEW Manjula Vinjamuri

Commissioner Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT), Karnataka

Mala Ramakrishnan & Sathya Kumaran Co-founders, Kaleidoscope

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Featured Article

Greening Cargo Transportation – Indian Railways: A Perspective

his pale green dot called the Earth is so far the only planet known to have life in the Universe. However, if we continue an unabated exploitation of our natural resources for economic development and growth, we might snuff out this little beacon of life as well. It is of grave concern therefore, to ensure that we move towards a future that is sustainable and viable for life. Transport sector plays a pivotal role in the economic growth of any country. It is a key driver of the economy and at the same time also the principal consumer of energy and GHG emitter. Government of India (GOI), while determined to lead the Indian economy to a trajectory of growth, is also committed to reduce the GHG emissions in the country and take it to an environment friendly and sustainable future. At the COP26 Climate summit at Glasgow, India committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2070 and 45% reduction by 2030. The largest share in consumption of fossil fuels is accounted for by the transport sector. Therefore, de-carbonizing the transport sector is a key strategy for achieving this goal. Carbon footprint of the railways is 3 to 4 times lesser than the road sector. So a modal shift towards railways is critical in this net-zero mission. GOI has targeted 45% modal share for IR by 2030. The freight ecosystem of India is estimated to be around 4700 MT at present and is expected to grow to 8200 MT by 2030. However, the modal share of IR has reduced to 28% by FY 20-21, down from nearly 80% in 1950-51. Reasons are manifold and well known, including the edge the

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

Roads and Highways sector gained from a massive infrastructure push in the past decade. The investment in railway infrastructure on the other hand, was not commensurate with the demand for many decades in the past. More than 70% of the IR network is over utilized and the utilization is further skewed over 7 major routes that comprise only 16% of the network but carry 60% of the traffic. This has resulted in a significant gap between supply and demand. In addition, the burden of social responsibility, (uneconomic operations undertaken in larger national interest to provide affordable transport to weaker sections of society and to facilitate movement of essential commodities meant for mass consumption) has grown by 206% in the last 10 years (assessed as Rs 566.52 billion for FY 20-21). Since this is compensated by freight revenue, it has resulted in poor fare to freight ratio, making rail non-competitive in many sectors, especially for short lead and non-bulk traffic. However for the past 5 years the narrative has changed. Augmentation and modernization of the railway network has received unprecedented CAPEX influx. For the current financial year, the CAPEX outlay is Rs 2.15 trillion, which is more than 5 times that during 2014. In the budget for FY 21-22, CAPEX has been proposed for Rs 2.45 trillion. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Jaya Verma Sinha Addl. Member (Traffic) Ministry of Railways

Strategies to increase the modal share to 45% by 2030 By 2030 IR is expected to carry 3167 MT to achieve a modal share of 45%. The roadmap includes Vision 2024 that targets 2024 MT of freight by 2024. i) Demand pull – Attract customers by means of policy changes, both tariff and non-tariff. Railway has made a paradigm shift in its approach towards meeting customer needs and responding to requests for tariff rationalization in the past 3 years. It is no-longer a monopolistic approach of ‘take it or leave it’. A skew of measures have been taken to increase the freight loading on WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

IR - like – right pricing through freight concessions, automatic rebates for Traditional Empty Flow Direction traffic, relaxation of restrictions on distance and multipoint destinations, minimum rake size. Ease of doing business has been aggressively pursued with IT enabled solutions like e-registration of demand, automatic rake allotment for iron ore indents (planned for coal too), business development portal. Traditionally dis-incentivized non-bulk traffic has been encouraged during the pandemic by running ‘vyapar mala’, ‘kisan special’ and time-tabled parcel trains to ensure supply of essentials to every part of the country. Transit assurance for EXIM containers along with concession of 25% for empty containers and 5% for loaded. Policy to invest in General Purpose wagons (GPWIS) and Special wagons (LSFTO) made simpler and more attractive. Ro-Ro traffic permitted on select sectors including Western Dedicated Freight Corridor (Rewari to Palanpur). As a result, even during the severely pandemic impacted year 2020- 21, IR carried an all time record freight of 1230.94 MT with an average lead of 585 km. In the current financial year 2021-22, the freight loading is expected to surpass 1400 MT. The modal share has improved to 30%. More policy initiatives are under consideration for reducing logistic cost, enhancing ease of doing business and bringing URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

OPINION

in operational efficiencies and higher throughput. There is sector-wise focus on both bulk and non-bulk commodities. Some of the policies expected shortly - Integration of India Posts and IR network to aggregate parcel/less than wagon load traffic in Gati-shakti boxes (cuboid containers)/parcel carriers for providing end to end services. New Container Train Operator (CTO) Policy. Kilometer based rating (as against slab based rating structure).

capacity augmentation up to 2030 so that the requirement till 2050 is taken care. More sections of DFC and High Speed Networks are part of the plan that would reduce the supply demand gap and enable a modal shift to railways.

ii) Supply push – Bridging the supply – demand gap by augmenting and modernizing the network. The key strategy for freight transportation on IR is to move faster, lighter and longer trains that carry more, need less maintenance and get handled faster. So in addition to adding line capacity, terminal development and rolling stock (wagons and locomotives) induction are the focus areas. Capacity enhancement works executed in FY 20-21 are Doubling/multiple-laning (1,614 TKM), New Lines (286 km), Gauge Conversion (470 km) and electrification (6015 RKM). Part commissioning of the Western and Eastern Dedicated Freight Corridor has also generated much needed capacity over super saturated sections. Encouraging results have been achieved in doubling the average speed of freight trains from 23 kmph to 46 kmph. In order to be able to carry 2024 MT by 2024, various sanctioned projects for capacity enhancement that fall on the super saturated and highly utilized routes serving major loading and unloading hubs, including ports, have been prioritized for early completion. 58 projects have been identified as ‘Super Critical’ and are targeted for completion by December 2022. Another 68 projects have been identified as ‘critical’ and are planned for commissioning by March 2024. In addition, IR plans to complete 100% electrification of its network by December 2023. Also, the requirement of rolling stock has been worked out for inducting 1,02,000 wagons (at an estimated cost of Rs 28560 Cr) and 4000 locomotives. New Gatishakti Cargo Terminal Policy has been brought in to facilitate faster development of private terminals and reduce logistic costs. New Wagon (Manufacturing) Policy – To facilitate induction of wagons with better performance, improved tare to pay load ratio, energy efficiency, modern features, etc. Industry apprised of the requirement of 102000 wagons by 2024 along with long term projections so that manufacturing industry can invest in capacity building. Next generation freight yards, private maintenance, lifecycle cost concept, Independent Safety Assessors, etc are in the pipeline to meet the rolling stock requirement.

Mission Net Zero Carbon Emitter by 2030 IR has made year 2030 the target for achieving Net Zero Carbon Emission. The dual strategy of increasing modal share of the railways and reducing net emissions by IR is expected to reduce the emissions by 60 million tons annually. 65.79%of BG network) Complete electrification of the railway network is the mainstay of this plan. At present nearly 66% of the BG network is electrified and carries 67% of freight traffic. Completing 100% electrification of IR is targeted for December 2023. Another key strategy is to procure power from renewable sources. In 20-21, total power requirement of IR was 2.8 GW, of which 2.75 GW came from thermal power. It is envisaged that by 2030, the power requirement would be about 8.2 GW, 90% of which would be procured from renewable sources. Other technological options for reducing the carbon footprint of IR are being pursued as well, like Hydrogen fuel and other ALTFUEL, Methanol blending etc. Investment in setting up solar parks and other renewable energy sources is also on the anvil. The Way Forward The way forward in this aspirational developing world hungry for economic growth is fraught with many challenges. We have to drive this on a green path towards sustainable alternatives and model all policies factoring in the environmental cost. The future is ours to define. Let us keep our home habitable for generations to come. ***

The National Rail Plan 2030 is ready with the roadmap for

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Relevance of Gender Disaggregated Data framework for gender sensitive public transportation system

ndia’s female labour participation has declined from 33% in 2011 - 12 to 25.3% in 2017-18, which is a decline of 7.8%. One of the reasons for the decline, is India’s shift from agriculturebased economy to service-oriented economy (Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-18). According to the United Nations Development Program’s (UNDP) “India Skills Report” of 2019, 68.3% of women graduates in urban India are not in paid jobs. Apart from cultural barriers, issues such as lack of safe commuting options, improper workforce and work settings, which enables women to raise families are found to be primary factors responsible for the skewed female workforce. Further, women are often discouraged to take up several roles which are thought to be male dominated.

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Issues of harassment in transportation system and public spaces and inconvenient transport services make women feel vulnerable while travelling. These issues often result in restricted mobility and missed employment opportunities. The root cause of these issues is also the difference between women and men’s travel pattern, which is generally not captured due to absence of related data sets. Need for gender considerations in Transport systems Differing social and economic roles taken up by women and men are reflected in their travel pattern. While women tend to chain their trips, combining work, family responsibilities, running daily chores and journey to pick or drop their children in single trip. Their trips are generally short and dependent on public transport and nonmotorised systems due to lack of access to private vehicles. An analysis of the Census 2011 travel data, which captures the work trips of all individuals shows that 43% of the women travelling for work use bus service or walk to their destination as compared to 32% of travelling men.

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OPINION

According to the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), more than 60% of rural and urban households use the bus as their main mode of public transportation, followed by auto-rickshaw, taxi, railways and cycle rickshaw (NSSO 2016). Women’s bus transport modal shares vary from 25% in Mumbai to 37% in Bhopal. Women from lower income groups are generally found to be more dependent on public transport than men . In Mumbai, women made 45% more trips by bus than by train, which increased to 67% for households with incomes less than Rs 5000 per month (Sonal Shah, 2017). The Census 2011 data also showed that the proportion of women travelling distances more than 5 km is lower than that of men. In addition, proportion of women travelling by bus is more than other PT modes such as trains. While this purports the need for a gender-sensitive transportation systems, the approach to planning in India uses standardized mobility solutions for both genders. The main reason for this is two-fold- (1) Transport is generally gender stereotyped, and hence lacks women’s presence at all levels, and (2) absence of data on women’s travel pattern. These issues have resulted in transportation systems which lacks sensitivity towards gender needs and unsafe for women. Numerous incidents of women being harassed in transportation systems are often reported, also restricting women’s mobility and their access to economic opportunities. A perception survey of 1400 women conducted by the technical cooperation project Integrated Sustainable Urban Transport Systems for Smart Cities (SMART-SUT) of GIZ in the 3 major cities of Kerala revealed that 68% of the respondents had experienced sexual harassment. The objective of this article is to assess the available data analysis mechanisms, based on which a data framework has been created which can be used by the cities for planning women-friendly transport infrastructure systems. Data collection and analysis mechanisms Transportation systems are adopting data and technology driven solutions for planning and implementing customercentric transport services. Data analytics, now makes it possible to map customer journeys, analyze personalized information and manage unexpected events. The ITS and MIS systems enables the transit authority to capture the real time coordinates of the bus (GPS based automatic vehicle location system), record the system-wide and routewise origin, destination and fare collection for each trip (eticketing systems) with time stamp. Journey planning applications have also been developed in many cities, enabling the passenger to get information on the cheapest, fastest and the most sustainable option for a given origin and destination, and book online ticket for the different modes. Apart from this, huge data sets are collected while preparing Development Plans and Comprehensive Mobility Plans, which can be used to assess a city’s accessibility, connectivity, coverage and monitor the WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

infrastructure systems. The data collection mechanisms available and taken up by various cities have been documented in the below section: Bhubaneswar: Capital Region Urban Transport (CRUT), is responsible for planning and operating the city bus services in Bhubaneswar. CRUT has recently initiated gender disaggregated data collection, by classifying the tickets generated through the Electronic Ticketing Machines (ETMs) as general (female), senior citizen (female). While most of the ETMs used in Indian cities allows the conductors to classify the tickets as passes for students, elected representatives, differently abled, freedom fighters, the ETMs operated at CRUT have been programmed allowing the conductor to classify the tickets based on gender as well. The process followed is as given below: 1.For each passenger, the conductor enters the route name, route number and direction of travel from the drop down list, as the trip starts. 2.S/he enters origin and destination of the trip. 3.The user, accordingly, selects the number of tickets for each category and makes payment as per the fare chart The individual ticket transaction data includes record of 1) ticket sequence number, 2) boarding stage, 3) alighting stage, 4) fare stage indicator, 5) fare paid, and 6) time and date of issue. Various reports can be generated through the ETM, few of which include: trip-wise details, ticket details, stage-wise details. The data is transferred to the server at the end of each conductor’s shift. The ticketing data is generated, stored, and downloaded from the Automated Fare Collection System (AFCS). The gender disaggregation of tickets classifies the abovementioned data based on gender, allowing the officials to analyse parameters such as total female ridership, trip wise female ridership, route wise female ridership, female boarding alighting. CRUT has also developed an online tool, which demonstrates the potential of ticketing and GPS data in improving performance efficiency and service planning of city bus operations in Bhubaneswar. The dashboard captures the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), identified through consultations with key stakeholders and experts, which answers the key questions and queries that bus transport agencies and stakeholders may face. The image 1 is a screenshot of the dashboard developed by CRUT, which provides segregated data on: 1. Total ridership 2. Route wise daily ridership 3. Route-wise hourly distribution of ridership 4. Boarding alighting at different stops The tool allows the user to analyze this information for women and men, allowing CRUT to plan special services for women if required. Analysis of this data is also helping the agency make informed decisions on planning and URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

OPINION

Kerala State Road Transport Corporation: KSRTC has also initiated the gender disaggregated ETM ticketing including data on transgender, which is further linked to a dashboard to monitor the daily operations. The genderbased ticketing is currently functional in newly revamped urban operations in Thiruvananthapuram, wherein the conductor/guide needs to punch in the gender of passenger while also issuing tickets. The data further gets deposited to the server, connected to a route analysis and monitoring dashboard which evaluates key performance indicators. The image depicts overall summary sheet of the dashboard, highlighting number of passengers aggregated based on gender.

Image 1: CRUT

implementation of services and transport infrastructure. This data is helping CRUT take informed decision regarding initiating women only bus/ reserved female capacity on specific routes, deploying female conductors, scheduling early morning of late-night bus based on women ridership, deploying patrols and developing bus stop amenities for women. Analysis of such data can be used to for development of special infrastructure, deploying of patrols and take informed decisions regarding planning of special services. Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL): KMRL is responsible for planning and operating the metro service in the city of Kochi. KMRL offers 3 modes of ticketing to their passengers: 1) paper or token, 2)Kochi 1 card, and 3) QR code payment through mobile. The Kochi1 card is a personalized card, whose registration requires input details related to sex and age. The smart card data records the entrance/ exit stations and entrance/ exit times of metro passengers, which can be used to investigate and visualize the spatial and temporal distribution of metro passenger flow. With the information on the gender of the user, the data generated can be disaggregated, which can be used to analyse travel patterns and ridership of women. The paper or token based tickets are issued by operators at the metro station with details of the boarding and alighting station, entry and exit time and the applicable fare. With suitable input parameters, the system can also gender disaggregate the tickets. Similarly, the QR code, which is linked with the passenger details, records the entrance / exit stations and time of passenger, and the applicable fare. Disaggregating the data produced through the 3 ticketing modes on the basis of gender, will facilitate the agency to generate data on total female ridership, route wise female ridership, female boarding alighting pattern. With such data, informed decisions regarding infrastructure development at metro stations can also be taken. Image 2: Kerala State Road Transport Corporation

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Mumbai: BEST provides the bus service for the city of Mumbai. BEST, in 2011 partnered with a vendor under an agreement which replaced the manual fare collection system with electronic ticketing machines (ETMs). Under the agreement, all the paper ticket boxed replaced with ETMs, bus passes were replaced by RFID cards, and introduced the ePurse concept. The RFID card not only enabled to record the travel pattern of the pass holder, but also connected the bus pass to the ID card. BEST’s ETMs are connected to the server via GPRS, which eliminates the need to manually transfer data on to the server. (Srikanth, 2015) Development Plan (DP): Each city is mandated to prepare a Development Plan as per the state’s urban development act. The DP preparation entails collection of huge data, which are to monitored to evaluate the growth of the city as per the proposed land use plan of the DP. Data regarding every household, bus stop, public transport network, terminals, street light is captured while preparing the DP through physical or drone survey. Many of cities are moving towards GIS based mappings, where the data collected is mapped digitally. GIS allows the user to map data related to different infrastructure systems on different layers, and facilitates the authority to analyse parameters such as coverage and accessibility of not only public transport services but also for infrastructure such as streetlights and footpath. Further, GIS also has provision to add qualitative data. Information such as CCTV cameras, washrooms, PIS systems, seating capacity for bus terminals and bus stops can also be added, which can be evaluated for infrastructure upgradation. Comprehensive Mobility Plans (CMPs): The Government of India has mandated each city to develop a CMP every 10 years. The preparation of CMP involves intensive surveys such as origin-destination survey, traffic volume counts, household surveys, speed and delay survey, pedestrian volume count to understand the travel demand and supply for various transportation modes and plan for meeting the demand gap. While the data collected through these surveys is segregated as per gender, the mobility indicators are generated at an aggregate level. Disaggregated analysis can lead to parameters such as mode share, cost on transport, major points of attractions and generators, non-motorized trips, vehicle ownership etc for different gender. These parameters can be used to assess the responsiveness of the current public transport systems towards the requirements of women, girls and other genders. Further, aspects such as sexual harassment and perception towards safety can also be added to the CMP surveys. Data framework for developing women friendly mobility systems Cities are collecting huge amounts of data through various systems ranging from ETMs, GPS, GIS, physical surveys. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Indicator Travel pattern

Terminal/ metro station infrastructure

Information and communicati on

Pedestrian streets

Street vendors

Measure  Boarding alighting  Route-wise hourly ridership distribution  Trip distances Facilities available for all genders:  Public toilets  Lounges  Nursing room  Drinking water Bus stops/ buses with:  Real time information system  Help line numbers and emergency numbers  Streets with footpaths  Analysis of area within 500 mts of bus stops for footpaths  Street lights  Space allocated for street vendors, disaggregated by sex

Source ETMs, smart cards

Use case Planning of public transportation system, and develop special infrastructure

Surveys conducted under DP/ CMP

Informatio n with transit agencies

Infrastructure upgradation

GIS analysis of DP data on streets

Planning first and last mile connectivity

Vendors registration details as per Street Vendors Act CMP

Perception on safety through informal surveillance

Mode share

 Percentage of trips by various modes

Cost on transport

 Monthly expenditure of transport

CMP

Nonmotorized trip time

 Walking and cycling time

CMP

Assess women’s time poverty due to lack of access to cycling, PT and IPT

Women employment

 Percentage of women employment in different transport agencies at different grades/levels

Employme nt data on different agencies

Identify strategies to improve women employment

Women’s use of different modes, purpose and monitor future targets Assess affordability of transportation

These data can be very well utilised for analysing patterns and trends, mapping customer journeys and planning URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

OPINION

customer friendly transport systems. Gender disaggregation of data at source can lead to evidence-based planning of services and infrastructure for all genders. Further, GIS can also be used to monitor and evaluate the infrastructure adequacy for the first and last mile, and bus stop/station infrastructure. The above documentation shows utility of data and technology towards developing a holistic transportation system for all, based on which the below data framework has been created which can be used for collating, analysing and monitoring parameters which can help in developing safer and inclusive transportation systems. Parameters regarding women employment in public transport at different levels should also be monitored and analysed to regularly to frame strategies to improve the same. Conclusion •

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A comprehensive system ensuring coordination amongst the concerned agencies towards data collection, planning and implementation is necessary for moving forward towards developing a holistic transportation system. With the current institutional framework, the metropolitan transport authority, or the development authority looks like the appropriate agency to take up the role of data collection, its monitoring and evaluation. *** This article is co-authored by: • Ms. Krishna Desai, Technical Expert, SMART-SUT, GIZ, India • Ms. Christy Ann Cheriyan , Technical Expert, SMARTSUT, GIZ, India • Mr. Shirish Mahendru, Technical Expert, SMART-SUT, GIZ, India

The above data framework can be used for planning a gender sensitive and inclusive transportation systemstransit services, first and last mile and strategize towards enhancing women’s employment. The data on ticketing from the transit agencies can be used for taking evidence based decisions on planning of services for all genders, be it special buses for women, reservations of seats for women, based on assessment of the route-wise ridership. Hourly distribution of the boarding alighting data can be used to deploy patrols at identified locations at hours for women, and for development of special infrastructure systems at stop/terminal. Data collected from the CMP and DP can be analysed to assess the first and last mile within 500 mts periphery of bus stops in terms of adequacy of footpaths and streetlights. Assessing the adequacy of infrastructure systems at stops/ terminals by monitoring and evaluating the qualitative data through GIS Policy level decisions regarding fare pricing for women through the data on cost on transport obtained through CMPs. Planning of public transport services considering the mode share and trips lengths of all genders. Developing area improvement plans in terms of safety, considering the major trip attractors and generators for all genders.

While these data and technology can be used to develop a holistic transport systems, one also needs to acknowledge that women’s safety in transportation systems is not the responsibility of a single agency, but of all agencies towards 1. planning and implementation of transportation systems, 2. enforcement, 3. urban planning, and 4. social development. Multiple modes are planned and developed by different agencies, with each agency having a different grievance redressal system.

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Women Participation in Rail Transport in India: Relevance and Need in Present Scenario

Aarti Singh Parihar Director Deptt. of Atomic Energy, Govt. of India

This special article is written to address issue of women staff and passengers in Indian Railways. Despite being one of the largest transporter and employer in India, Railways have a poor share of women staff and women passengers. Article gives an overview of women share at present in Indian Railways and the need to increase this share. Poor share of women has resulted in poor planning of future projects from gender based perspective. The challenges faced by women employees are mentioned in the article and it gives two case studies of infrastructural deficiencies in the system. Situation in other countries is also mentioned for comparison and better understanding of India’s place in this sector and it is projected how other countries are making efforts for increasing female share in Transport sector. Some suggestions are also given to make organization women-friendly. This article is an effort for gender-equality in Rail Transportation in India-both for internal members and passengers.

According to International Labor Organization, transport is one of the several sectors that has traditionally been regarded as having “no place for women”. Indian Railways is not an exception. Female participation is very limited in all the departments of Indian Railways. As per census 2011, India has 940 females per 1000 males; working population in India, however, tells a different story. As per the recent labor force survey conducted by NSSO using the usual status approach, the estimated female work population ratio (in percentage) in the country during 2009–10 and 2011–12 was 26.6% and 23.7%, respectively. As per NITI

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Ayog’s report, only 27 females per 1000 work in comparison to 117 males per 1000 (in urban population) in transport, storage and communication (State Statistics/Labor Force Participation Rates). This gap remains despite various government initiatives and steps to increase female participation rate, such as the enactment of the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017, which provides for increase in paid maternity leave from 12 weeks to 26 weeks and makes a provision for mandatory crèche facility in establishments having 50 or more female employees, issue of an advisory to the states WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

FEATURED ARTICLE

only 12% are engineers. The situation is same in other European countries and as per one report of Mckinsey, only 17.5% of public transport employees are women in EU. The same report revealed that in the United States, only 19% of women occupy top management position. It is important to mention that these countries are making various efforts to increase female share in transport sector. In the UK, an all-party group Women in Transport is active in this field and they conduct regular meetings and dialogues to adopt methods for increasing female participation. For Europe too, a same kind of groups UITP and ETF - are working with an aim to increase the share of female employees in transport companies from the existing 17.5% to at least 25% by the year 2020 and 40% in the year 2035.

is it so important that women should be encouraged by giving monetary benefits? It is seen that monetary benefits sometime work as encouraging factor to take challenging jobs. A local train driver of western railway Priti Kumari once told that she filled up many jobs forms as her husband was not keeping well and she has to go out and work. And when she finally got selected for driver job in local train she accepted it despite the challenges involve in it because she needed it at that time (“Meet Western Railway's Only Motor woman”). So if a well paid job of railways is available for qualified females they will be encouraged to take it over low paid jobs.

This shows that the importance of female participation in the transport sector is being felt in all countries and attempts are being made to increase it at all levels. What could be done? Recently, NASA administrator Jim Bridentine made a statement that “the first person to land on Mars would be a woman”. Such is the era in which we live. Women are reaching spaces and touching great heights. Then there is no reason why women cannot drive trains and guard the tracks. And there is no reason why the share of women participation in transport in general and in railways should not be increased. Desired steps towards increasing the female share in workforce should be a mix of infrastructural as well as policy-level changes. Addressing the issue of basic amenities: It is also important to address the needs of urban women, their daily requirements and other gender-related policies. Encouraging women in non-traditional occupations requires the institutions to create a favorable environment. For this to happen, the most important thing is infrastructure. Basic amenities like separate toilet blocks in all establishments should be created on priority basis. Restroom facilities are the next hurdle which stops females from taking duties of driver/guard or ticket checking in long distance trains. Monetary Encouragements Why women should take the job of a loco pilot or a guard when they can work in an office environment and earn the same? Only monetary benefits can increase the charms of a physically demanding job. If extra allowances are offered to female employees, then chances are that more and more young women will opt for these jobs. Some may argue why

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Priti Kumar – First Motorman of Western Railway (WR)

Reservation for women in management posts Simultaneously, women’s presence at different levels in public transport authorities has the potential of mainstreaming gender within the organization by bringing women’s issues to the fore in its services and infrastructure. Hence it is very important that more and more female officers join railway services and stick to it when the journey starts. This can be achieved by giving reservations in top managerial posts. At present, there are 16 zones in the Indian Railways, and all have male officers as general managers. Among 7 general managers of production units, only one is female. In the Indian Railways, main field unit is a division which is headed by divisional railway mangers (DRM). Today, out of 68 divisions only 7 have female officers as DRM. Appointments of general manager and DRM are made after they fulfill certain criteria based on good career record as well as a good age profile. Due to various responsibilities they have at various stages in their personal life, female officers tend to skip important postings which can be useful in their career. A policy can be defined or a guideline can be created to make this criterion a bit relaxed for female officers and keep a part of total posts reserved for women so that top posts are not WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

dominated by males. This, in turn, defines the policies and important tasks on field units. Publicity and glamorization Youngsters mostly follow the path which they find within their reach or which has a certain glamour attached to it, like jobs of airhostesses or airplane pilots. Jobs in Indian Railways are though well paid and popular in young students, the actual job-related challenges and the perks attached to it are not well known. Hence it is required that the service is widely publicized and female students are made aware of the challenges it offers but also of the perks attached to it. The range of job profile must be publicized and glamorized with role models reaching out to training institutions. Institutions of Women Committees Recently, Indian railway board issued instructions that deficiencies related to separate toilet blocks and changing rooms be addressed on a priority basis in all zones and a target be fixed to complete all such works. The Railway board has also provided assurance in the employee charter to take care of women employees” issues. Now, though instructions from the Railway Board are issued, implementation of these instructions needs to be continuously monitored as it is not a priority item for field units. That is why there is a need of forming a high-power committee at all zones with members from the concerned departments who will coordinate and ensure the availability of basic facilities for female employees of the Indian Railways.

commitment towards female passengers is worded in the Citizen Charter and now there is a need to implement female-friendly transportation. And the first, and probably the most important, step towards accomplishing this mission could be employing more female staff at different stations and in trains. A lady travelling alone will feel safer with a lady ticket checker and a lady station master. It generates confidence among the female aspirants to see that ladies are working in the night shifts in Indian Railways. If Indian Railways aims for inclusive development, then it is quite essential that females are included in all services and future planning related to it. Whether it is station development projects or new lines for high speed trains, a female perspective will enrich the development socially and strategically. It is important to mention here that with its employee strength of 14 lakh if Indian Railways takes steps to improve female participation at all levels, it will set an example for other sectors of our economy. Indian Railways is a career of economic and social changes. This role should be widened by opening doors for females and giving wings to female employees to reach the top and to be able to offer qualitative services to customers.

“Women don’t want separate queues and places; they want respect wherever they stand.” ***

These committees then can be used for installing the necessary facilities in different cities by interaction with various women groups to tackle gender issues in public transports. Lastly, there is a need of an “organisational will” to include gender sensitivity in the vision of Indian Railways and make it a part of all training programs. While the female staff need not be treated as a special case, it is certainly necessary that they get equal attention in meeting their personal requirements and necessary provision should be made to implement this in all the units . Conclusions Indian Railways has been defined as “a vehicle of inclusive development and national integration” in Vision 2020 (“Indian Railways: Vision 2020”). In the Citizen Charter published in March 2018, Indian Railways committed that provision of passenger amenities and convenience in travel is one of the most important objectives of Indian Railways, in terms of both business ethics as well as social obligations. In this charter, first mission statement is „safe and dependable services” and the last is “requisite amenities to females, senior citizens and disabled persons for facilitating their convenience”. Indian Railways’ WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

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EXCELLENCE IN

RAIL INFRA & MOBILITY BUSINESS LEADERSHIP AWARDS 2022 2ND EDITION | JULY 7, 2022 | NEW DELHI, INDIA To celebrate India’s 75th anniversary of Independence, Urban Infra Communication (India's first Infra PR & Media Company) in collaboration with leading industries, corporates and media platforms, is pleased to announce the second edition of excellence in Rail Infra and Mobility Business Leadership Awards 2022 (Urban Infra Business Leadership Awards) to honour and recognize industry leaders (individuals and corporates) for their extraordinary contribution in developing major infrastructure projects in-country through their innovative ideas, products, and services. The profiles of selected industry leaders will be featured in a special coffee table book titled “75 Leaders Transforming India’s Urban Infrastructure”. The book will be launched at the second edition of excellence in Rail Infra and Mobility Business Leadership Awards 2022 which is scheduled on July 7, 2022, in New Delhi, India.

KEY DATES    

Nominations for Awards: 15 February – 15 May, 2022 Announcement of Winners: 15 June, 2022 Delegate Registration: 1 May – 30 June , 2022 Awards Ceremony: 7 July, 2022

Eligibility & Nomination Guidelines  Nominations invited in two categories – Individual and Corporate  Nominations are open to all individuals/businesses (Govt./Non-Govt.) irrespective of their age and the size of the business.  The individual nominee should have either in working or retired from the capacity of senior management positions such as MD, CEO, Director, President, Vice President, GM etc.  The nominee must have at least one representative office/person in India and be engaged in development oriented infrastructure projects.  The nomination form must be filled out either by nominee or authorized representatives.  More than one nomination can be submitted from a company or firm. Selection Procedure  The winners will be selected by a jury comprising of industry experts and our editorial advisory board.  The evaluation will be done based on their contribution and innovative achievements irrespective of the age of the person/business entity.  Criteria to be considered by the selection committee include use of latest innovation & technology , result-oriented products & solutions, strong leadership and outstanding track record in the Industry.  The winners will be awarded an artistic trophy along with a 'Certificate of Appreciation’ in presence of renowned industry leaders.  Profile of the winner will be featured in special Coffee Table book. How to submit nominations

Nomination Fee*

Step 1: Fill Nomination Form Online Step 2: Receive Invoice for Payment of Nominations Fee Step 3: Pay Nomination Fee and Get Confirmation E-mail

INR 35,000 + GST, USD 500 (*50% nomination fee is refundable, in case of non-selection for the award.)

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SPONSORSHIP AND BRAND PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES Lead Sponsorship: INR 4,00,000+GST 18% (USD 8000, EUR 7200) – Max. 3 Sponsorships  Corporate Logo presence on event back drops.  Corporate Logo presence in all e-mailers and promotional materials.  Corporate logo presence on Trophy and Certificates  Special press release on welcoming the lead sponsor  One full-page premium advertisement in Coffee Table Book  10 minutes speaking slot at the award ceremony  4 delegate passes to attend the award ceremony  Interview coverage in next issues of Metro Rail Today and Urban Transport Infrastructure Magazines Gold Sponsorship: INR 3,00,000+GST 18% (USD 6000, EUR 5400) – Max. 5 Sponsorships  Corporate Logo presence on event back drops.  Corporate Logo presence in all promotional materials.  Corporate logo presence on Trophy and Certificates  One full-page non-premium advertisement in Coffee Table Book  5-7 minutes speaking slot at the award ceremony  3 delegate passes to attend the award ceremony  Interview coverage in next issues of Metro Rail Today and Urban Transport Infrastructure Magazines Silver Sponsorship: INR 2,00,000+GST 18% (USD 4000, EUR 3600) – Max. 7 Sponsorships  Corporate Logo presence on event back drops.  Corporate Logo presence in all promotional materials.  One half-page advertisement in Coffee Table Book  2 delegate passes to attend the award ceremony Certificate or Trophy Sponsorship: INR 1,00,000+GST 18% (USD 2000, EUR 1800) – Max. 5 Sponsorships  Corporate Logo presence on Certificates or Trophy to be given to winners and participants  Corporate Logo presence in all promotional materials  One half-page advertisement in Coffee Table Book  1 delegate pass to attend the summit & award ceremony Print Advertisement in Coffee Table Book  Full-page premium positions (except Top Cover): INR 35,000+GST 5%, USD 700, EUR 650  Full-page non-premium positions (between contents): INR 20,000+GST 5%, USD 400, EUR 350  Half-page advertisement (Between contents): INR 12,000+GST 5%, USD 250, EUR 225 (A set of 5 coffee table book will be given to each awardee)

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ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

PUNE METRO India’s 15th Metro Rail Project Commissioned

une is the seventh most populous city in India and the second – largest city in the state of Maharashtra, with an estimated population of 8 million. The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi inaugurated about 12.0 km stretches of Pune Metro Rail Project on March 6, 2022. Governor, Maharashtra Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Union Minister, Ramdas Athawale, Member of Parliament, Prakash Javadekar were among those present on the occasion. Referring to the inauguration of the Pune Metro Rail Project by him earlier, the Prime Minister said, “It is my good fortune that you had invited me to lay the foundation stone of Pune Metro and now you have given me the opportunity to inaugurate it. It also has the message that plans can be completed on time. Pune has also continuously strengthened its identity in the fields of Education, Research & Development, IT and Automobile. In such a situation, modern facilities are the need of the people of Pune and our government is working keeping this need of the people of Pune in mind.”

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

The Prime Minister said that while Metro services were available in very few cities till 2014, today more than two dozen cities are either being benefitted by the metro services or are on the verge of getting it. Maharashtra, he said, has quite a significant share of this expansion if we look at Mumbai, Thane, Nagpur and Pimpri Chinchwad Pune. “This Metro will ease mobility in Pune, give relief from pollution and jams, increase the ease of living of the people of Pune”, the Prime Minister said. He also called upon the people of Pune specially the well-off people to make it a habit to use Metro and other public transport. The Pune Metro Rail Project is an endeavour to provide world class infrastructure for urban mobility in Pune. Foundation Stone of the project was also laid by the Prime Minister on 24th Dec 2016. Prime Minister inaugurated 12 km stretch of the total 32.2 km Pune metro rail project. The entire project is being built at a total cost of more than Rs 11,400 crore. The Prime Minister also inaugurated and inspected Exhibition at Garware Metro Station and undertook a metro ride from there to Anandnagar Metro Station. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

On 15 August 2008, the preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) work was undertaken by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and submitted their report. In 2010, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) delayed submitting the proposal to the Union government to make provisions in the annual budget for the project. The initial project consisting of two lines with a combined length of 31.25 km was approved by the State in June 2012. However, it received the final approval from the Central Government only on 7 December 2016, almost 4.5 years later. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone on 24 December 2016. Maha Metro is implementing the two lines, viz. the partly elevated and partly underground Purple line from Pimpri & Chinchwad to Swargate and the completely elevated Aqua line from Vanaz to Ramwadi. Days after the foundation stone for the Maha Metro lines was laid, PMRDA approved Line 3 (Hinjawadi Phase-I, II, III – Shivajinagar) on 29 December 2016. The project is being implemented by PMRDA on a PPP basis. It was approved by the State on 2 January 2018 and by the Centre on 7 March 2018. Pune Metro Rail Network (Phase 1) Line 1 (Purple): PCMC – Swargate (16.59km) Purple Line covers a total distance of 16.59-km from PCMC in Pimpri to Swargate. This line is elevated till Range Hills with 9 stations and then underground up to Swargate with 5 stations. This route runs via Nashik Phata, Khadki and Shivajinagar. The maintenance depot for this line is located near the Range Hills station.

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Line 2 Aqua Line: Vanaz – Ramwadi (14.66km) Aqua line covers a total of 14.66 km distance from Ramwadi to Vanaz via Mangalwar Peth and Deccan Gymkhana with 16 elevated stations. The line is so named because a section of it passes through the Mula - Mutha river bed. It connects with the Purple line and Line 3 at the Civil Court Station The maintenance depot for the Aqua line is located near the Vanaz station. Line 3: Hinjawadi – Civil Court Line 3 will cover a total distance of 23.3 km from Civil Court to Hinjawadi with 23 elevated stations and will align with the Civil Court station of Line 1 & Line 2. The construction will be taken up in two phases, the section between Hinjawadi and Balewadi is expected to be taken up first followed by the section between Balewadi and Civil Court, Shivajinagar. A metro car shed will be built in Hinjawadi. This line will be constructed and operated by a consortium of Tata Reality and Siemens on PPP model. Pune Metro Rail Network (Phase 2) A total of 82.5 km metro rail network planned under Phase 2. Maha Metro has appointed UMTC and Data Corp Traffic Pvt. Ltd. to carry traffic and feasibility study survey of following seven corridors:• Vanaz to Chandni Chowk (15 km) • Ramwadi to Wagholi (12 km) • Hadaspur to Kharadi (5 km) • Swargate to Hadaspur (7 km) • Khadakwasla to Swargate (13 km) • SNDT to Warje (8 km) • HCMTR to PMC (36 km) ***

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

Interview

Meet Ms. Manjula Vinjamuri, A Women Leaders in Urban Transport ‘Women Leaders in Transport’ is an interview series initiated by the Indo-German development cooperation project ‘Integrated and Sustainable Urban Transport Systems for Smart Cities in India (SMART-SUT)’ commissioned by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH in cooperation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), Government of India. The interviews are part of the #MindTheGap campaign to celebrate women leaders in the Indian transport sector. The campaign aims to inspire more women to lead the way in making transport systems more inclusive and safer for all.

As the Commissioner of Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) Karnataka, Ms. Manjula Vinjamuri is one of the most prominent female faces in the Indian transport sector. She worked in diverse sectors like rural and urban development, power, information technology and biotechnology, urban transport, education (including medical education and administrative reforms), as well as the training department of the Government of Karnataka. Apart from her leadership role at DULT, she also holds the positions of Ex-officio Additional Chief Secretary to Government, and Director General, Administrative Training Institute, Mysuru. After completing her post-graduation in Organic Chemistry from the Osmania University, Hyderabad, Ms. Manjula was selected for the Indian Administrative Service in 1987. During her tenure in various positions, she has played a significant role in formulating policies like the State Start-up Policy, Animation and Visual Graphics Policy, Transit-Oriented Development Policy, and Parking Policy. Her diverse portfolio includes the preparation of district - level human development

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reports, as well as implementing public awareness campaigns on total literacy and the “Cycle Day” to popularise cycling as the preferred mode for short urban commutes. She has also implemented information technology-based reforms, including online registration for birth and death certifications in rural areas, hospital information systems in medical colleges, launching an e-office in Karnataka's secretariat and subordinate offices, and introducing consent awards for the acquisition of land in rural and urban areas. With her formidable experience in policymaking, transport planning, and technology-based reforms, Ms Manjula is a role model for many women aspiring to join the administrative services or the transport sector. We have invited her to share her words of wisdom and talk about her personal journey. How did your early years help you prepare for the various leadership roles you have undertaken over the years? As the Commissioner, Urban Land Transport at the Directorate of the Urban Land Transport (DULT), Government of Karnataka, my primary focus has been to WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

INTERVIEW

promote sustainable urban mobility initiatives in Karnataka. At DULT, we plan, design and commission people-centric mobility projects, for which we collaborate with academia, civil society and other government stakeholders like municipal corporations and public transport operators. We also promote innovation and research in urban mobility and provide policy support to the Government. A leader must be intuitive, creative, be able to lead by example, and never be afraid of taking tough decisions. My formative years in service equipped me with the skills and confidence needed for dealing with and managing complex issues innovatively. As an officer of the Indian Administrative Service, I have worked in sectors like rural development, energy, information technology, planning and land administration. My experience in the districts working on maintenance of law and order as well as land management has given me a good grounding in public engagement. As the first Managing Director of two government companies, I had to build these organisations from scratch. This experience stood a good stead when I was posted to DULT. Before DULT came into existence, there were hardly any transport planners in the Government. It started as a unique set up and had to chart its own course and develop meaningful linkages with other players in the mobility ecosystem. What challenges have you faced in your journey in transport as a woman? The biggest challenge was to build an incipient organisation into an institution known for credibility and competence. In an ecosystem with a surfeit of departments and organisations, DULT had to be professionally adept in the way it approaches issues and deals with them, for it to be relevant. Learnings from a similar experience in building institutions and a committed team made it possible. “In my experience, women's projects and proposals are only taken into account if they formulate them forcefully and pursue them persistently.” It was a struggle to get approval and funding for the implementation of a bus rapid transit system in a tier-2 city in Karnataka even though funding was freely made available to less effective initiatives. I had to present my case for its implementation to several committees and put forth various analyses to justify why it was needed, and my rationale for seeking funding support and approval. In my experience, women's projects and proposals are only taken into account if they formulate them forcefully and pursue them persistently. I have not noticed any requirement of a similar effort on the part of men. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Why do we see fewer women leaders in transport and what are the challenges that specifically act as barriers for women to reach management positions? Do you think having more women at the leadership level can play a key role in making transport systems safer and more inclusive? The representation of women in the transport sector reflects the overall representation of women in leadership positions across all domains and sectors. Women leaders generally get slotted to social sectors like education and health, though fortunately in Karnataka, we had at least two or three women managing directors of public transport companies. The situation is slowly changing, and new opportunities are opening for women leaders. One way to groom more women leaders in transport is through ensuring more women are recruited at various levels and giving them opportunities to handle varied responsibilities and investing in their capacity building. At DULT, we have proactively recruited more women; the proportion of women in our technical workforce is around 50-60%. Women bring in a different perspective to the way transport systems are run. Women bring in a different perspective to the way transport systems are run, but I would not like to generalise and say that having them in key positions would automatically make transport systems inclusive and safer. Sensitisation is needed for men and women alike. Do you think women leaders are more considerate of gender-sensitivity in their approach while planning and implementing projects? In general, having more women at the planning, implementation and decision-making level will make a significant difference. Women at these levels can bring in a more nuanced approach to designing and implementing projects, considering the needs and concerns of women, children and the elderly. Many cities are taking initiatives to include women in their workforce, especially as drivers and conductors. While we have seen an increase in women conductors, the same hasn’t been observed for women drivers. What steps do you think are necessary to further promote this change? Women are now making a mark in highly technical and complex domains like Artificial Intelligence. Therefore, there is no reason why we could not have more women drivers in the transport systems. In Bengaluru’s metro, for example, 38% of metro drivers are women. There is no restriction that impedes women from applying as bus drivers. However, not many apply. There are only two women drivers in Bengaluru’s bus transport system, and both have preferred to work in depots. Women themselves URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

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INTERVIEW

need to be trained and oriented to look at all jobs as equal. The work schedules may need to be adjusted to suit the convenience of women drivers as women have to discharge a larger share of domestic responsibilities. What changes in policies/infrastructure/incentives may inspire more women to join the transport sector at all levels? What are the initiatives that you have taken or plan to undertake in the future for inclusion of all genders in the transport sector? DULT is a planning organisation and is not directly concerned with the management and recruitment policies of the public transport undertakings. However, we have tied up with the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru to collect and analyse data and come up with policies that could promote Gender Smart and Gender Astute transport systems, not just in Bengaluru but across Karnataka. We would like to make informed decision-making based on the insights garnered from this research project. Many women are graduating as transport planners and the cadre and recruitment policies of mobility stakeholders must reserve appropriate percentage of posts for women transport planners. Many studies have identified the travel experiences of women as a barrier for them to take up work opportunities. The issues they face range from safety and convenience, to cost and accessibility. How do you think we can resolve this issue? Can digital technology act as an opportunity for the same? Unfortunately, many public transport systems do not collect gender-disaggregated data and are not wellinformed about the mobility patterns of women, their preferences and the challenges they face. Putting in mechanisms to get periodic data on these aspects would greatly help in framing and implementing policies to make our public transport systems convenient and comfortable for women. Digital technology-based systems/platforms like Mobility as a Service (MaaS) could help us to gather insights on travel preferences of different personas of women, for example, women travelling with elderly or elderly women with their grandchildren. Technological solutions could also provide women with options to trigger alarms, alert control rooms etc. when in trouble and thereby, enhance the perception of safety.

Greater urbanisation in India also requires creative and passionate leaders who build cities that are more liveable, environmentally sustainable and are places for work, life, and fun. There is great potential for personal and professional growth and various opportunities for shaping our cities. Women must equip themselves with skills to manage and manipulate data, and develop an understanding of policymaking, and the application of technology. *** About SMART-SUT The Indo-German development cooperation project 'Integrated and Sustainable Urban Transport Systems for Smart Cities in India (SMART-SUT)' is implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The project objective is to improve planning and implementation of sustainable urban transport systems in selected Indian cities and states. The project is part of the Green Urban Mobility Partnership (GUMP) between Germany and India. About DULT DULT has been set up by the Government of Karnataka under the Urban Development Department (UDD) with the objective to coordinate planning and implementation of urban transport projects and programmes. Karnataka is the only state in India to have an exclusive Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT). The Directorate has been set up in 2007 by the State Government, shortly after the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP) came into force, to coordinate the urban transport matters in the State. The Directorate is responsible for overseeing all urban land transport initiatives in the Urban / Local Planning Areas of Karnataka and administering the State Urban Transport Fund (SUTF). For the first time qualified personnel trained in Urban Transport Policy have been inducted into the government system. DULT’s vision is to be known, nationally and internationally, as an organisation with competence, commitment, and creativity to plan, design and deliver sustainable mobility solutions for our cities and towns. It is committed to serve the people of Karnataka by facilitating the implementation of efficient, sustainable, and integrated transportation systems that enhance the State’s economic competitiveness and prosperity while preserving the quality of our environment and neighbourhoods.

Any final words for women in the early stages in the transport sector? Mobility is “the sector” to be involved with today considering the challenges it throws up and the immense opportunities for innovation. Disruption in terms of the way transport systems are planned, designed, and managed would become the order of the day. WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

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Dr. Amudhan Valavan Independent Director MTC Chennai

Steering the limelight towards womankind – A Public Transport perspective

hile any day makes for a great opportunity to celebrate the women in your life, International Women’s Day gives you one more reason to do exactly that. International Women’s Day is on March 8th, and is a global holiday that recognizes women’s incredible achievements, raises awareness and encourages others to advocate for gender equality. Half of the country’s population has historically been at a disadvantage compared to the other half. The dreams and aspirations of women have been bottled up. Women still do not have access to equal opportunities with men. In our country, right from when girls are still in their mothers’ wombs, there is uncertainty about their survival. After they are born, girls face discrimination from childhood. If a family can enrol only one child to school, the son’s studies are always prioritised over the daughter’s. I personally know many such families that prefer to stop a girl’s education and even employment if the travel is far from home and expensive. As such, we have to think about that whether Indian Standards are designed with an intersectional lens and in collaboration with experts in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in Transport Sector? It should be also informed by our global community of women, employers from a range of industries, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for DEI to woman participation. The causes of gender inequity are complex and often intersect with discrimination, like ageism,

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ableism, and racism. Currently, we used to see us focus on different issues impacting women in the workplace. They celebrate the employers making a difference, challenge others to do more, and create productive conversations that result in real change. Sustainable mobility is not only about greening cities; it’s about making life easier for the most vulnerable so that getting around safely and comfortably isn’t a privilege only enjoyed by all the people. When walking is an adventure Accessibility must be universal (Differently Abled Persons) Moving around is more difficult if you’re a woman There are no safe spaces (Carrying Infants) & Fewer cars = more space for those who need it most • Carry: A matter of social justice (Female Safety) • Quality public transport • • • •

Mobility for all-is working with allies to promote the benefits of alternative mobility for improved city life for all city dwellers, whatever their background or socioeconomic status. Mobility is not gender neutral, and may have a male bias. Women have different needs and behaviours when it comes to transportation. Understanding their perspective could improve mobility for everyone. Women have different patterns, needs and behaviours. Female mobility is characterized by trip-chaining and time poverty. The main reasons for this are that women do 75% of the world’s unpaid care work, the gender pay gap, and women’s physical condition. Women have a smaller range when traveling the

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OPINION

same amount of time. Women carry luggage and accompany people, more often on public transport and by foot. The car is less often the default solution. WHY GENDER MATTERS IN TRANSPORT AND MOBILITY? It differs in Modes, Experience, Trips and workforce as detailed below: GENDER DIFFERENCES IN MODES 1. Women walk more than men. 2. Women use public transport more than men. 3. Women cycle less than men if there’s no or poor cycling infrastructure. 4. Men drive more than women. Women are often the passenger. 5. Men use new mobility services more than women GENDER DIFFERENCES IN TRIPS 1. Women travel shorter distances per trip than men. 2. Women trip chain and have multiple stops to a greater extent than men, who generally have an A to B trip pattern. 3. Women to a greater extent than men accompany children or other family members and/or carry bags and groceries.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EXPERIENCE 1. Women to a greater extent than men worry about harassment. 2. Women to a greater extent than men think about the route and time of day traveling.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE WORKFORCE 1. Women’s work participation is lower than men. 2. Women to a greater extent than men work part time. 3. Women in general earn less than men. 4. Women in general have the majority of the parental leave.

The main differences between men & women’s travel patterns in India arise primarily from three factors. • First, women do not have the necessary monetary resources available in the family which limits the accessibility to different modes of transport. • Second, women in India are responsible for unpaid care work in the family. This also means that women must negotiate multiple trips (trip chaining) accompanied by children or elderly, oftentimes via a public transport system that is not sensitive to the needs of women. • Third, is the issue of safety? Women in India face a lot of sexual harassment both using as well as waiting for public transport Our female perspective on mobility inspires four areas of opportunity relevant to all mobility enterprises: • Change the concept from single-trip to trip-chain: If trip-chaining is the standard; we can improve offerings towards more efficiency in planning and executing multistop routes.

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• Nurture our etiquette in a redistributed space: In our shared street space; we need to constantly evolve our etiquette. Let’s take ownership of these. • Focus on pedestrians: If we celebrate pedestrians, we relieve strain on the transportation system and raise the quality of city living. • Build communities: If we bring people together and let users help users, we empower people to more quickly accept new mobility solutions. The female perspective inspires a recommendation regarding the way we work: Develop transportation in a participative manner. If we face our users’ challenges daily, catering solutions efficiently to their needs becomes second nature. Transport needs more women. As an industry, we recognise the value and benefits of greater diversity- increased innovation, creativity, productivity and safety are just some of them. LinkedIn data revealed that diversity hiring was the most embraced trend in 2018 with 78% of companies prioritising diversity to improve culture, and 62% doing so to boost financial performance. And yet, the number of women working in transport in the global has declined in recent years and many people still perceive some careers as ‘men only’. We know that there are great opportunities in transport for women

to have fulfilling, challenging and varied careers but how do companies stand out and attract talented women against the competition? Diversity and inclusion policies matter to women and men Currently, 86% of women and 74% of men consider the diversity and inclusion policies of a potential employer when job seeking? Potential candidates clearly buy into the brand of their future employees. A compelling and attractive employer brand can attract more women by increasing awareness, building trust and ultimately increasing quality applications. The Transport companies will also save on hiring costs. A company with a stronger employer brand than its competitors will see a 43% decrease in the cost per candidate they hire. Commitment to Gender Equity Achieving gender equity is about more than levelling salaries. It highlights three key areas where employers can positively contribute to gender equity: women in leadership roles, promoting shared responsibility and committing to pay equity.

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OPINION

Intersectionality Intersectionality is a concept for understanding how different aspects of people’s identities can overlap to create compounding experiences of discrimination and privilege. In a workplace setting, where an intersectional lens is not applied to different aspects of the employee experience, it can lead to some individuals feeling excluded, isolated, misrepresented, and ultimately disengaged. Empower women, give them greater claim to public spaces: Improving women’s access to public transport will also make them safer. Mass transit around the world gives a sense of security to women, because of the sheer number of women travelling together. In Chennai & New Delhi, women no longer have to think about the costs of travel, it will open up many avenues to them. No girl will be forced to drop out of school or college. The women of Delhi will become empowered to fulfil their dreams. This is not to suggest that the move will solve every problem, but I am sure it will be a very important step towards empowering women. The savings made by women on travel will also help sustain households and give them legroom for other expenditures, especially in these times of economic slowdown. Some may choose to spend it on increasing the quantum of milk they feed their children, others on purchasing books for them. Increased purchasing power has the potential to take the entire society along on a path to prosperity. The thousands of crore’s of rupees our citizens collectively save every year because services like education, healthcare, water are free, is essentially money that flows back into the economy. It has created immense economic value for the city. The list of cities for free travel in Public Transit are detailed in the below Table. S# 1

Country Name Chambly, Canada

2 3

Luxembourg Tallinn, Estonia

4 5

Avesta, Sweden Dewsbury, UK

Perth, Australia

7 8 9 10 11

Clemson, USA Samokov, Bulgaria Mariehamn, Finland New Delhi, India Chennai, India

Pro’s for Providing Public Transport free mode to women are: • Free public transport would reduce the number of cars on the road (Climate Change) • The government's job is to provide services especially for women (Women Empowerment) • The environment would greatly benefit (Prevent Sexual abuse/ Harassment) • We would need more public transport female workers (Women safety & Opportunities’) • The government would be forced to improve public transport (Reduce Air Pollutions) • A lot of public transport companies are reliable and need more customers (women motivation) • Single or zero fare maximizes the efficiency, convenience and attractiveness of public transport systems for female users & operators in inner cities.(GDP increase/Reduce Traffic Congestion due to women independent) • Heaps of female would be tempted by free transport (Not Dependent on Personal Vehicles) • A lot of female would already be using it if it didn't cost so much (Women Delight to Public Transport) Urban mobility for women empowerment in the decade of action Improved mobility not only broadens women’s economic and social opportunities, but also plays an important role in curbing urban congestion and environmental damage. In cities, infrastructure is a necessary foundation for achieving sustainable and inclusive socio-economic growth as it directly affects access to education, work, and other services. Yet, cities are often designed without considering the needs of all the members of society. Lack of mobility within cities can lead to geographical segregation- exacerbating inequalities by reducing new opportunities for women and marginalised groups in urban areas. Building infrastructure in cities that is gender-blind can lead to the social and economic exclusion of a large section of the population.

Reason Reduce Congestion & Green House Gas Emissions Environmental concerns. Motivation of using to Public Transport Environment concern Free City Bus only for Shopping malls Within the zone free transport service for all Free Bus Service to all Free Bus Service to all Free Bus Service to all Free Bus & Metro service for women Free Bus Service for women

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From 2012 2020 2013 2014 2009 2008 1996 2008 2000 2019 2021

The gendered perspective of transport Often due to differences occurring in socially-constructed gender roles, women are predisposed towards certain travel characteristics that are distinct from those of men. These differences in travelling patterns can be due to several reasons such as variation in responsibilities, safety concerns, lesser income, and lower bargaining and decision-making powers. Safety is a major concern raised by women regarding limited access to urban transport; the incidence of gender-based violence is higher for women. ADB Report showed that 50 % of sexual harassment cases against women in cities took place while using public

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

transport and 16 % while waiting for public transport. It was also found that poor infrastructure including lack of street lights, public toilets, and useable pavements, made travelling by public transport more uncomfortable and unsafe. Safety is a major concern raised by women regarding limited access to urban transport Women also have fewer mobility options and are highly dependent on public, intermediate public transport or nonmotorised forms of transport. As income-generating jobs are given precedence over caregiving or domestic responsibilities, women are less likely to use private transport. The COVID-19 pandemic has further decreased mobility options for women. Due to high congestion and the need for social distancing, there has been a decrease in the use of mass-transportation services by women. In Delhi-NCR, for example, the share of metro services for female commuters has decreased by 16 % post COVID-19. Due to high congestion and the need for social distancing, there has been a decrease in the use of mass-transportation services by women. Eyes on the street Personal safety is one of the most important factors affecting women’s choices and preferences for transport in India. Better designed physical infrastructure such as wide pathways with sufficient lighting, eliminating dark corners and view-obstructing structures, universally accessible interchanges, public toilets, women-dedicated safe parking spaces, and adequate seating arrangement can not only facilitate non-motorised mobility but also improve last or first-mile connectivity for public transport. Building a congenial atmosphere near public transport interchanges in the form of restaurants or shops can create vibrant community spaces.

Typically, little attention is given to gender differences in travel patterns due to a lack of gender-disaggregated statistics. It is essential to carry out a modal split, where the percentage of male and female residents using particular forms of transport is assessed. More gender-disaggregated data can help understand women’s travelling patterns and demands, including the mapping of routes used by women, the reasons for lack of safety, and the availability of amenities around modes of transport. Improved mobility not only broadens women’s economic and social opportunities but also plays an important role in curbing urban congestion and environmental damage. Limited access to safe transportation can increase women’s ‘hidden barriers’ in participating in the labour market as well as negatively impact their access to other services such as education or health, especially during the pandemic. Thus, women’s reclamation of public spaces is a requisite for the realisation of their right to the city and inclusive urban development. Key Takeaways Women and Public Transport Women in India use public transportation and walk more than men. Women are also more multimodal and need flexible, safe and punctual services because they, to a greater extent than men, have unpaid care work in the household. Even though many public transport stations have a poor level of accessibility, public transport is still considered, by women, the safest and most punctual mode of transport in India. It is also highly to be integrated with other transport modes in India, which makes multimodal travel more flexible. Women and Safety Feeling safe is very important for women when moving around Metro Cities. If possible, many women avoid traveling alone at night, but if they have to, they tend to choose the mode that provides the most direct link to home.

Overcrowding in Public Transport Vehicles Overcrowding can lead to a higher incidence of sexual harassment. Due to safety concerns, women have a narrower time frame to travel by public transport. The reduced ‘safe window’ can increase congestion during certain hours and make public transport less reliable and safe. To reduce congestion, transport services must be boosted by increasing the frequency of short-distance mobility services, creating a flexible fare structure to ensure multi-journey tickets. GPS-enabled night taxi services by women drivers can improve safety during non-peak hours. It is essential to carry out a modal split, where the percentage of male and female residents using particular forms of transport is assessed.

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Women and Car sharing/Pooling/Ride Hailing Services Women who can afford to pay for carsharing service still do not find the option attractive. This is commonly because women, at some point in the day, will be travelling with one or several children and the common lack of child seats in car share vehicles limits their access to them. Women and Cycling Many women’s mobility patterns include trips with kids to grocery stores or malls with little or no available bicycle parking by the entrance. When developing new mobility solutions and services, data and insights into women’s needs, concerns, and preferences, should be included from the very beginning of the process. There is a huge potential for creating digital solution that could make women feel

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OPINION

and be safer, make trip chaining and traveling with children easier, and make accessing shops and groceries easier. Women Free travel @all modes As women’s are using Public Transport as more than women, It would lead reverse climate change, women empowerment , prevention of sexual harassment, reduce air pollutions, reduce traffic congestion, women independence & motivation and finally leads to GDP increase of the respective area of the nation.

About Author Dr. Amudhan Valavan possesses over 28 years of experience in Public Transport and Urban Mobility related fields since 1993. He is an Independent Director of Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Chennai. He is also a senior member of editorial advisory board of Urban Transport News and its publications.

Recommendations Lack of personal resources, responsibility for unpaid care work, and subjection to sexual harassment and violence impacts the mobility of women every day in India. Investment in good, women-friendly public transport systems, free travel for women in all Transport modes for shorter distance i.e. for their day to day regular work are the need of the hour in India. ***

India’s International Magazines for Rail, Metro and Transportation Industry

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URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

Interview

Meet Mala and Sathya, Two Women Leaders sailing DigitalTech ‘Kaleidoscope’ towards transformation of Urban Infrastructure Mala Ramachandran and Sathya Kumaran are CoFounders of Kaleidoscope – A graphic animation studio concentrating on 2D and 3D Graphic Animation videos for large Infrastructure, Industrial and Manufacturing companies for their process, training, implementation and marketing requirements. In a recent conversation with Urban Transport News, they shared their views on various aspects that can help a woman to become an entrepreneur. Vinod Shah: Please professional journey?

tell

about

your

Mala Ramachandran: After having worked in the corporate world for over two decades, I realized I wished to see the world from another side—an employer, rather than as an employee. I wanted to use the rich experience, training and skill set that I had developed in SAIL, to become an entrepreneur and build an organization with a strong culture and employee satisfaction. I have only gratitude to SAIL for imbibing in me these skills. Our company Kaleidoscope has just completed 10 years successfully and I can proudly say that the satisfaction and pride when my employees share stories of their transformation and growth through Kaleidoscope, not only in their professional lives but also in their personal growth as individuals, have made these years worth it. We worked in the architectural segment for almost 3 years, and in the process realised that there is a space in the market for our specific skill set, primarily in the engineering sector. Being an engineer myself, I realised

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with time that 3d animation has great application in the infrastructure segment, as visualizations aid in preempting the challenges in methodology, which save time and money during implementation. We have now reached a stage wherein we have carved a niche domain expertise in working for projects with MTHL, several metro projects in cities such as Pune, Chennai, Mauritius and the high-speed rail project with L&T, Tata Projects, Afcons Infrastructure, etc. We also take on several government projects like Ircon, Kride, CMRL among others. Sathya Kumaran: Hailing from the port city Tuticorin, I completed my Graduation in Physics from Women’s Christian College, Chennai. Pursued my passion for graphics and painting. Later upgraded me with a 2yr course in 2D and 3D animation. I was working with a few architectural firms and Industries for their visualization and animation requirements as a consultant. Later co-founded Kaleidoscope – A graphic animation studio with my partner Mala Ramachandran and this year completed our 10th year successfully in this industry. Vinod Shah: What things inspired you to choose your career in the digital architecture Industry after expending over 20 years in SAIL? Mala R.: In SAIL as well, our target segment was infrastructure and industry, and when we started working with similar segments through Kaleidoscope, we realised that service, quality and workforce are the most important aspects for clients; profitability is a by-product when these domains are taken care of. That is exactly what Kaleidoscope is doing. Vinod Shah: Why did you choose your career in infra

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INTERVIEW

graphics designing? Sathya K.: Though we initially catered to the architectural segment and builders for their 3D views and walkthroughs, later as we gained experience, we moved into technical process animations for the Infrastructure segment which has become our forte. The magnanimity of these infra projects amazed us, and we found huge scope in adding value to these projects through visualizations. Each project was technically new and our team was geared to learn and thrilled to perform. This encouraged us to move deeper into various segments of infrastructure like Heavy civil infra, Special bridges, Transportation, Hydrocarbons, Water and effluent treatment, Power, Irrigation, Defence, Nuclear, Metros, Regional rapid transit system, and HighSpeed Rail (HSR). This exposure has given us enough knowledge to position ourselves as an expert in our domain, and now we can proudly say that we are associated with almost all the new infrastructure ventures of our Nation. Vinod Shah: After covid-19, every company/project is looking for cost-cutting without compromising the quality of work. How will the use of digitalization in infrastructure development help their goals?

Vinod Shah: What are the implications of digitalization for infrastructure sectors? How does digitalization work for rail, metro and transport infrastructure sectors? Sathya K.: With the power of Digitalisation, rail, metro and transport projects can be delivered more effectively and efficiently by harnessing the power of cloud computing and enhanced mobile technology. Building Information Modelling (BIM) in the form of 3D digital representation of projects overlaid with 4D detail on scheduling and cost, together with augmented and virtual reality technology enables seamless interaction between offices and sites facilitating a “build right-first-time” approach. Drones allow teams to track progress safely, more efficiently and with increased accuracy, collecting data more frequently than human surveyors. Telematics is tracking how our vehicles are used, ensuring that we drive them economically, safely, and sustainably. And we are using data analytics to begin to predict and prevent problems with enabling structures as they arise in infrastructure, rather than the slower, more expensive and less reliable “find and fix” model the industry has relied on for decades.

Sathya K.: Digitalisation in infrastructure helps to bring about tangible benefits such as • multiple stakeholders to be on the same page • connect people from various locations and hybrid work front to derive insights and take decisions • to train the workforce to the latest technologies • prevent flaws and thereby cut down execution costs at the site • to get timely approvals from authorities • to organise resources to be deployed • acts as a bridge between infra companies and their clients for easy understanding of the process involved and working timelines. It is a great documentation tool for future references. Vinod Shah: Do you think that design and construction will become an outdated concept in the future as infrastructure becomes multi-functional? Please explain. Mala R.: Not at all. In fact, design and construction will remain an integral part of the growth of the country and the world at large. However, in the digital age, the methods of implementation will keep transforming to attain more efficiency, and we have to make sure to stay up to date. Digitization of the infrastructure segment is still in very nascent stages and we have a lot to do in this direction. Awareness has increased and government and private sectors are all working towards it increasingly. However, implementation is a challenge and that is where services like ours help construction companies to visualize challenges and make course corrections.

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Vinod Shah: What are the key challenges faced by your company and how are you addressing them? Mala R.: I think one of the key challenges we are facing presently is deciphering the best method to tackle the global market for more projects. Presently, we are working on pan-India growth and starting out in the global market. However, the application of our area of expertise has vast potential, and we are making efforts to move faster in making our space in the global sector. Being an entirely digital field, it is feasible for us to execute projects from India, making the process cost-efficient and accessible. None of our projects need any physical presence and can be handled from Chennai, India itself. We are addressing it WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

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URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE JANUARY 2022

INTERVIEW

by being more visible on platforms like Linkedin and also being part of global networking organizations like CorporateConnections. Vinod Shah: Do you think we need more women in the infrastructure industry? Sathya K.: Definitely yes! Women are paving the way for a new style of leadership that is confident, authentic, and highly effective and I think the scenario is currently changing positively towards more women taking pride to work in the infrastructure segment and being part of the nation-building process. Vinod Shah: In reaching the level of success you have, if anything – what have you sacrificed along the way? Have you experienced any barriers in the journey to becoming a leader? Mala R.: I would say I have received a lot of support from my family in pursuing this. From an employee to employer is not an easy change, and a lot of hard work and perseverance had to be put in to ensure we hit the right segment, especially in the initial years. Being a firstgeneration entrepreneur, I had to learn these skills from scratch, and it was alongside my business partner Sathya, who ably and fully supported the process, that we overcame the challenges on the way. Today, we have employees who are second line and third line leaders, who have been with Kaleidoscope for 7-8 years, and aid in the smooth functioning of the organization. In the first 3 years, attracting talent was a major barrier since we were not established yet. However, the strong culture that we have built of timely salaries, focus on employee benefits and career growth through new projects and continuous learning, has helped us attract and retain the best talent. We are very proud of our present team and they are the backbone of our organization.

look at us in similar manner. I was the first woman on the shop floor in the Bokaro Steel Plant in 1990 when there was a stigma towards having women on the shop floor. However, the moment I worked without any bias in my mind, the others got used to it as well and thereon, many women started working on the shop floor. Even as entrepreneurs and two women co-owners, my partner Sathya and me always ensure we lead the group as leaders from the front always and I feel that is all that is needed to get to the top. Vinod Shah: How do you find the quality of contents and industry updates in our publications - news portals and magazines? Any suggestions. Mala R.: The quality of content is great, as are the updates about the industry. However, a little more practical content on implementation could help give readers like me greater value addition. Sathya K.: Yes, the content and updates are informative and interesting providing us with the latest information and site photographs. Great job! ***

Vinod Shah: What is your message for female aspirants wanting to start their career in infra sectors. Sathya K.: Our nation is coming up with loads of infrastructure initiatives and expansion with respect to Building smart cities, High-speed rail, Regional rail transport, Metros, Ports, Airports, Special bridges, tunnels and High ways. As female aspirants never doubt that you are valuable, powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the infrastructure segment to pursue and achieve your dreams. Vinod Shah: Any tips you’d like to share with anyone, especially females wanting to get to the top in the infra business? Mala R.: Yes, I do. I strongly believe that we as women, need to see ourselves without gender biases holding us back. The moment we work like that, we attract others to

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

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Indian Railways to invest ₹52,000 crore on development of 400 new Vande Bharat Trains

Unlike a normal express train which is hauled by a detachable locomotive provided at one end of the train, the traction to a Train set of Vande Bharat series is provided by electric gear (traction motor, rectifier, converters, transformer etc) underslung from alternate coaches drawing energy from over-head equipment through pantograph mounted on coaches. L. C. Trivedi Chairman, Institute of Mechanical Engineers (India Chapter)

he declaration of plan to undertake indigenous manufacture of 400 new generations Vande Bharat express trains @ Rs 130 crores in the recent budget for 22 -23 presented by Finance Minister was welcomed by all, as it is felt that the advantages of superior riding comforts which were so far restricted to two sectors where presently these services are in operation, will become available to a wider population in different parts of the country. Let’s restate for the benefit of the uninitiated, as to what this train set technology (branded as Vande Bharat) is all about and how it differs from the existing express trains.

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A 16 coach Shatabdi type train has one source of power at one end of the train in the form of a train locomotive providing approximately 6000 HP power, in comparison in a Vande Bharat rake out of 16 coaches 8 are motorised providing approximately 12000 HP of power to the train. This additional and distributed power results in superior deceleration and acceleration characteristics saving the time involved in negotiating a speed restriction zone. The speeds of the two variants however will be the same in midsection while cruising as both are having rolling stock capable of maximum speeds of 160 KMPH (in fact a normal Shatabdi express is composed of LHB coaches having underlying potential for up-gradation to 200 KMPH, which present generation of Vande Bharat coaches are currently not capable of). Train sets also save time at points of reversals and at terminals as the need to turn around a locomotive is not there, as it has a driving cab at either end.

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OPINION

Today, higher speeds on IR are restricted by maximum permissible speeds of the track, and at some places by signalling configuration. Further, since a high-speed train draws more current from overhead equipment, we need to strengthen overhead electrical equipment. Here it may be noted that presently more than 90% of IR’s track permits a max speed of 110 KMPH or lower, it is on this account that LHB coaches, which are capable of running at a max speed of 160 KMPH, are still majorly running at 110 KMPH. IR has undertaken a speed upgradation program on Delhi Howrah and Delhi -Mumbai route to 160 KMPH which involves besides track, upgradation of OHE (overhead electrical equipment) and signalling gear. It’s a work in progress. The additional point of difference that distinguishes the Vande Bharat express as compared to a normal express train, is superior comfort features (touch and feel features) provided in it like superior seats, vacuum toilets, plug doors, gangways etc. IR has started providing these features in the upgraded version of LHB coaches christened TEJAS. Incorporation of Tejas coaches in Rajdhani and intercity trains has commenced.

achieve speeds in excess of 200 KMPH to justify almost double the cost compared to a stainless steel rake. As upgradation of track speeds beyond 160 KMPH is not even on the agenda of IR, use of aluminium at this stage when IR lacks supporting infrastructure logically is better avoided. An additional point besides lower cost in favour of stainless steel rakes is their superior corrosion and abrasion-resistant characteristics as compared to an aluminium rake. It’s also felt that consequent to an accident a stainless steel rake will provide a higher level of safety to passengers. Further, at a time when the country is marching forward on the path of Atmanirbhar Bharat, importing a technology (presently we don’t have the technology to manufacture aluminium shells) which can’t be gainfully deployed on account of infrastructural constraints is questionable.

(State Railway Minister Mrs. Darshana Jardosh visited the ICF workshop where third rake of Vande Bharat is being developed.)

Today we are in a position where our existing Rajdhani and Shatabdi type trains can provide speeds and comfort levels at par with Vande Bharat express at almost half the cost. Another issue is the material to be used for the manufacture of new rakes of Vande Bharat i.e. whether we should stick to the use of Stainless steel or switch over to aluminium for new generation rakes. Here it is pointed out that aluminium offers lighter weight, and is amenable to superior aerodynamic profiling. On the flip side, aluminium shells are desirable only when we need to

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

It is felt that the overall priority of IR’s rolling stock program should be first to eliminate old ICF design coaches which still form the majority of coaches by replacing them with LHB coaches to improve the safety of passengers and selective introduction of stainless steel Vande Bharat express trains on routes where we are able to upgrade track speeds to 160 KMPH, without attempting something which increases the cost of production without giving commensurate advantage either in terms of higher speeds or superior comfort. One of the reasons that Vande Bharat trains came for wide acclaim was on account of producing a world-class product at half the cost, appropriate to IR’s infrastructure. We shouldn’t let that advantage fritter away while incorporating other features for improvement. ***

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Impact of covid-19 on public transport our normal routine and that of our local, regional, and global transportation systems.

Ar. Priyanka Kumar Sr. Manager Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board

Shreya Mishra Architect SDA Lab Design

OVID - 19 has affected day – to - day life, businesses, disrupted world trade and movements very much, and due to which the global economy is also slowing down. The pandemic COVID-19 has affected the transportation sector across the whole world. Lockdown Implementation (which includes restricted travel activities) ordered stay-athome, working from home, avoiding travel, due to which many habits have changed. It is a prevention strategy executed by various governments to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This response by the governments, companies, and communities over the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted

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The speed of these impacts has been felt is significant as global airlines, national railways and local subway and bus systems experienced huge declines in customers. As on 25th March 2020 India went into complete lockdown, change in commuter’s travel behaviour was observed from the third week of March (termed as transition to lockdown) due to the fear of pandemic. According to a study to understand the impact of COVID19 on travel pattern of Indian people (Source - Meena / Indian Journal of Science and Technology 2020; 13(24):2491– 2501) It was noticed that during the pre-lockdown time, people prefer personal mode of transportation and the use of shared mobility dropped 35% compare to the normal situation, due to the high risk of virus transmission from close contact with other people. According to the expectation, after the end of lockdown period, people who belong to higher income group will try to avoid taking public transport, taxi and other mass transport, but the high percentage of uses of private vehicle will lead to increase in congestion on roads and this will also raise the air pollution. This pandemic situation also increases the

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

OPINION

chances of using non-motorised transport for short distance, (22% of growth was observed during prelockdown), and nonmotorised transport provides a great way to stay fit and healthy and it is a very good way to maintain the social distancing.

The Focus should be on making public transport a safer way of travelling at this time of social distancing, enabling those without personal vehicle or for them who are physically disabled to travel around. As we know public transport services strongly depend on revenues from fares, public transport operators should be encouraged not to drastically reduce public transport frequency or capacity, but remain a certain level of service enabling travellers to keep a safe distance from each other. Governments should began designing sustainable transport policies for the post lock down period can draw on experiences from previous crises to predict likely behaviours and plan accordingly the policies that are fit for the situation and encourage people to use public transport. ***

Figure 1 - Modal share in pre- and post-COVID-19 scenario for the sample.

Breaking The Bias – L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail Management on the backseat

yderabad Metro Rail, the urban transportation icon of the city of Hyderabad, which is the second largest metro network in India is providing the right track for women who want to grow in their professional life. Since its inception in 2017, L&T Hyderabad Metro Rail has attracted people from across the country and has been providing all its employees, irrespective of their genders equal job opportunities and career growth. Today over 130 women staff are working across Hyderabad Metro Rail encompassing general management, train operations, station controlling, train systems, and office management, among others. There are many women staff who are working behind the scenes away from the public glare helping the entire network of metro rail operations run smoothly. While such women are well recognized on the floor, the International Women’s Day on 8th March, became a milestone when Hyderabad Metro Rail brought out the women workforce from the backend to the forefront with a vision to concretize the basic essence of breaking the bias. Bringing Forth the Unsung Sheroes (She + Heros) During this Women’s Day, Hyderabad Metro Rail organized a series of activities, celebrating the day with a difference. This time the entire activity was taken up by the housekeeping, maintenance, and security personnel from the grassroots level. These women workforce were involved right from conceptualization of the event to execution involving anchoring of the celebration, lamplighting, felicitating the guest speakers, and all other engagement activities.

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This was one of the most unique events as all senior people from the metro rail management including the MD and heads of the departments were seated at the backseat, while the podium was being steered by the women workforce of Hyderabad Metro Rail who generally work back-end but on that day, they took the full charge from the front. Lady Security Guard Nerella Asha who mans the post at Operations Control Center (OCC) Building at Uppal Depot anchored the entire women's day celebration activity. Expressing her excitement at being at the core of organizing such an event, she said, this was one of the best times of her career with Hyderabad Metro Rail. Getting this exposure, Asha wants to groom herself for public speaking opportunities and is very optimistic that she will be able to explore other avenues of her personal and professional growth while working for Hyderabad Metro Rail. Her colleague, Bhagyalakshmi was equally thrilled for being nominated to felicitate one of the key guests during the event. Sharing her delight, she mentioned that it was one of the rarest occasions to be present in such limelight and being given the responsibility to felicitate a guest was huge honour which she is going to cherish for life. Later she confessed this opportunity has boosted her self-esteem and that she felt confident facing such a large gathering and doing something which she had never done in her life. She was absolutely elated. Other housekeeping women of Hyderabad Metro Rail such as Anuradha, Shashikala, Rama, Renuka, Malleshwari, Rani, Sai Lakshmi, Uma, Kavitha were equally delighted to be part of the event and contributed from the front. While all these activities were on, an interesting metro ride was in the offing.

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

WOMEN SPECIAL

A Metro Ride with a Difference To further involve the women workforce, Hyderabad Metro Rail worked on a unique concept by engaging with the community. Hyderabad Metro Rail invited change agents from the city who have been actively working in the sphere of social welfare and women empowerment. Anusha Bhardwaj, Executive Director, Voice4Girls, and Kamal Nayak, Founder, Good Universe became part of this unique programme, where they experienced a special metro train journey from Ameerpet to Nagole Metro Station accompanied by metro rail women station controllers, loco pilots, and technical staffs. A TEDx speaker, Anusha Bhardwaj believes in the power of youth leadership to transform communities and nations. It is with this conviction that she leads a group of passionate individuals at VOICE4 Girls, an NGO that strives to eliminate gender inequalities by educating and empowering marginalised adolescent girls and boys. In the last decade, VOICE has impacted over 1,10,000 adolescents and around 5000 young men and women. Kamal Nayak is the founder of Good Universe, a former UN SDSN (United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network) Fellow, a TEDx speaker, and a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum, advocating sustainable goals, good health, climate change, and gender equality. With a vision to create a free and equal world where women, children, and transgender can lead dignified and secure life, he has been working in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and positively impacted more than 57,000 women directly and 10,00,000 women indirectly through various digital campaigns and programmes. During this 35-minute ride, Anusha Bhardwaj and Kamal Nayak interacted with the women metro staff and became part of their lives. The women metro staff shared their experiences working with Hyderabad Metro Rail and recounted how this job has brought positive change to their personal and professional lives. Technical personnel like Lakshmi Kaavya Sree and Soujanya Thalluri shared their experience handling the highly male-dominated arena of back-end technical support. During the conversation, Kaavya, a System Analyst from AFC Comm, Hyderabad Metro Rail mentioned that her parents are proud of the fact that she is working and earning for herself. She said, “The confidence gained by me because of the support given professionally and personally helped me to talk and move forward and fight with the current circumstances. In terms of Professional career in Hyderabad Metro Rail handling 56 stations and being apt to the situations and providing solutions is a challenge. Getting over all this and gaining satisfaction at the end of the day makes me go forward.”

URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

Soujanya Thalluri, a Maintainer working with AFC Comm dept of Hyderabad Metro Rail is equally happy to be working with Hyderabad Metro Rail, where though she is working at the back end but the job satisfaction for her is immense. She said, “Being the only working woman in the family and being treated like a MAN of the family of 6 and getting the support personally and professionally makes me face all the challenges with success.” Hailing from Odisha, for Kamal Nayak this journey was his first metro travel in his life, and he was absolutely thrilled to have experienced this travel that too with the women metro staff who run the metro rail operations. Sharing her experience Anusha Bhardwaj told that this was one of the amazing trips she had on the metro train. For her talking while riding with the women metro staff was simply a great experience. She expressed her joy at having such an engaging platform with Hyderabad Metro Rail. Employee safety and security on high priority Hyderabad Metro Rail provides a robust system of safety and security for all women and male employees that is in place at all the work locations within the organisation. Apart from the regular benefits such as maternity leaves and easy access to the insurance claim system, Hyderabad Metro Rail also cares for the health of its employees and has offered a fully equipped gymnasium with equal hours to both women and men at its Admin office at Uppal Depot. There is a robust POSH (Prevention of Sexual Harassment) system in the place with a well-structured Internal Committee which takes care of women employees and protects their welfare within the organisation. Commenting on overall women integration at Hyderabad Metro Rail, KVB Reddy, MD & CEO, L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad) Limited (L&TMRHL), said, “L&TMRHL is committed to providing a safe and efficient work environment for its women employees. We have robust internal processes to ensure equal and merit-oriented career progression for our women employees which are much in line with the essence of #BreakTheBias. We provide wellstructured processes and a well-grounded mentoring and talent development system to ensure we nurture every woman's talent and lead them to explore their full potential and grow in their career amidst a right mix of work-life balance.” The consistent vision towards women empowerment and gender parity breaking the bias at Hyderabad Metro Rail was recognized by The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI) recently. FTCCI has felicitated Hyderabad Metro Rail with Gender Parity Award for 2022 on the International Women’s Day 2022. *** WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Sustainable Growth of the Transport Sector in India in 2022

death. Noting these substantial impacts, it isn’t surprising that the year 2022 needs to be the year where the government focuses and prioritizes the importance of road safety above anything else. There are going to be new measures implemented in the year that contribute to substantial road safety and reduce risks of accidents. National Bus Procurement Programme

Noumi Pandya Sr. News Editor

he year 2022 is going to be highly transformative for the transport sector in India, especially following the post-pandemic recovery. Not only will it serve as more job opportunities for the youth and contribute to better GDP but will also contribute directly to the economic growth of the country. It is not long now that the youth will witness a shift from unemployment to the flourishing job sectors in the transport industry in India.

Despite the growing urbanization in India, the one thing it has failed to keep up with is the public transport infrastructure. However, things are gradually changing and shifting. The government is focusing on making more contributions and allocating a better budget into the public transport infrastructure, including metros. However, the public bus system is still being neglected at a very high level. So, the year 2022 might be the year that changes. To stifle the negative externalities, the government has to increase the availability of public buses and the associated infrastructure in India and that is exactly what the year 2022 will witness. Multi-Modal Freight Movement

The 2022 budget of India is focused more on creating sustainable growth for the transport sector. The majority of the budget allocation for transport goes into repairing the roads, infrastructure and the associated mega projects. The investment in the transport infrastructure in India is the need of the hour, especially because it directly contributes to the economic growth of the country. However, a few restructuring are likely needed at this point, especially to support the totality of the economic growth in the country. Focus on road safety In India, the reports suggest that around 1.5 lakh people die due to improper road safety. India stands second in the world trends with reported road accidents that lead to WWW.URBANTRANSPORTNEWS.COM

Last on the list of improvements to contribute to a more sustainable model of the transport system in India is to improve the existing multi-modal freight movement. Compared to the negative implications due to lacking usage of trains for logistics, it is necessary for the same to substantially change this year. Instead of just being reliant on trucks, things might have to necessarily change shortly, especially to reduce the carbon emissions and the air pollution that happens due to land-based logistics. The year 2022 is going to be a year of growth in the Indian transport and logistics department, all of which will contribute to the seamless impacts on the economy and its growth. There will also be impacts on the taxing process to further fast-track the progress in the manufacturing of electric vehicles in the country. URBAN TRANSPORT INFRASTRUCTURE MARCH 2022

INDUSTRY EVENT CALENDER 2022

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January 20

InfraTalk

Virtual

February 10

Rolling Stock Forum

London, UK

February 15-17

International Railway Summit

Berlin, Germany

March 8-10

RailTech Europe

Utrecht, Netherlands

March 9-10

UITP India Urban Rail Seminar

Virtual

March 15-18

Rail Digi Expo

Virtual

March 17-19

RailwayTech

Jakarta, Indonesia

March 22-24

Global Stainless Steel Expo 2022

Mumbai, India

March 23-25

Transport India Expo

New Delhi, India

April 4-5

Rail Modernization Summit 2022

New Delhi, India

May 11-12

Asia Pacific Rail 2022

Bangkok, Thailand

May 23-24

Urab Transport Projects

Abu Dhabi, Dubai

June 5-9

World Congress on Railway Research

Birmingham, UK

June 28-30

Rail and Metro Infrastructure 2022

Virtual

July 7

Rail Infra & Mobility Business Leadership Awards 2022

New Delhi, India

July 7

Rolling Stock Networking 2022

Derby, UK

August 21-24

International Conference on Railway Technology

Montpellier, France

September 20-23

InnoTrans 2022

Berlin, Germany

October 26

Modern Railways RVE

Milton Keynes, UK

November 4-6

Urban Mobility India Conference & Expo

Kochi, India

November 23-24

Africa Rail

Johannesburg, SA

November 9-10

MOVE

London, UK

Nov 29 – Dec 1

Rail Live 2022

Malga, Spain

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Global Equipment Market: Forecast

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Multi-Model Transportation

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Urban Transport Infrastructure March 2022

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