Sarthak Shukla and Snehil Singh Blog - Economic Times Blog indiatimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Gaps in mobility network
There’s a need for disability-inclusive transport systems
The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged India’s passenger mobility infrastructure like never before. While the country was already aware of the massive room for improvement, the need for robust transport systems has become all the more obvious today. As India battles the second wave and prepares for a potential third one, the economy is under tremendous stress. The promised V-shaped recovery after the first wave will be a mirage if the country does not find a way to safely regularise movement of people and goods.
The new systems built to regularise mobility must be safe, accessible, reliable and affordable for all, lest the marginalised and the underprivileged find themselves in a progressively worse situation coming out of the pandemic. The 100-million-plus Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) forming India’s largest minority are at risk of just such an outcome.
The Union Budget 2021-22 comes as a catalyst for steady economic growth in these unprecedented times. Anchored on India’s urgent need to become Atmanirbhar while catering to the world, it focuses on enhancing resilience and unlocking opportunities through innovation to foster prosperity.
The renewed thrust on the road and urban infrastructure, clean air, scrapping of old-polluting vehicles, and augmenting public transport, among others, reinforces the crucial role of mobility in spurring socio-economic growth. For, the budget’s inclusion of ‘Travelnomics’ catalyzes enhanced investments in mobility infrastructure to make cities accessible and connected; decarbonizes the transport sector by improving urban livability and making the country energy secure, and helps create millions of livelihood opportunities.