Context: India’s metro cities is witnessing a troubling increase in accidental deaths and injuries involving pedestrians, cyclists, and street vendors. Despite the presence of service lanes and non-motorized transport (NMT) zones in many cities, the widespread encroachment and misuse by motorized vehicles has turned these safe pathways into accident zones.

Meaning of the context: In such a grim urban scenario, active mobility—emphasizing walking and cycling in safe, inclusive, and sustainable environments—emerges not just as a transport alternative, but as a public health and urban resilience imperative.

Learning Zone:

• Active mobility refers to human-powered modes of transportation, primarily walking and cycling, that promote health, sustainability, and urban livability.
• Scope: Encompasses non-motorized transport (walking, cycling, skateboarding) and micro-mobility (e.g., e-bikes).

Significance:

• Health Benefits: Promotes physical activity, reducing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes (77 million cases in India, IDF 2021) and obesity.
• Environmental Impact: Cuts vehicular emissions, supporting India’s net-zero 2070 goal and National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), addressing 1.24 million annual pollution deaths.
• Safety: Dedicated infrastructure lowers accident risks; India reported 1.55 lakh road deaths in 2022, with 40% involving pedestrians/cyclists (MoRTH).
• Economic Gains: Reduces fuel costs and healthcare expenditure, saving ?1.8 lakh crore annually if cycling doubles (TERI 2023).
• Urban Sustainability : Reduces congestion, noise, and vehicular load in cities.

Source : The Hindu