Bridging the gap between urban transport needs and policy in India
| Dates: | 29 May 2015 |
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| Times: | 11:00 - 13:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Global Urban Research Centre |
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| Speaker: | Professor Madhav Badami |
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The rapid growth in motor vehicle ownership and activity in India is causing a wide range of serious (and intensifying) socio-economic, environmental, health and welfare, and resource use impacts at the local, regional and global scales. While these impacts, taken together with the needs and realities of the context, and the imperatives of urban livability and social justice, point to the need to minimise motor vehicle activity and ensure accessibility for all, particularly the majority who cannot afford access to motor vehicles, urban transport policy and planning in India not merely accommodates motor vehicles, but actively discriminates against non-motorized modes, which only serves to further increase motor vehicle activity and its impacts. After highlighting this gap between needs (and indeed, stated goals), and actual policy and planning, I will propose what I believe we as academic researchers can do to help bring about urban transport systems that are safe, health promoting, affordable, and socially just, and that minimise environmental and resource use impacts, in India and other rapidly motorising low and middle income countries. I will conclude by briefly discussing my own policy research agenda in this regard.
Professor Madhav Badami has a joint appointment in the School of Urban Planning and the McGill School of Environment at McGill University. After having studied mechanical engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, he spent nine years in diesel engine development in the Indian truck and bus industry. He then obtained a Master's degree in environmental science at the University of Calgary, and a PhD in planning at the University of British Columbia. His teaching and research interests are in the areas of environmental policy and planning; urban infrastructure and services; urban transport; alternative transport fuels; and environment and development. He is current a Bartlett Visiting Research Fellow.
This event is a special guest seminar hosted by GURC.
Speaker
Professor Madhav Badami
Organisation: McGill University
Travel and Contact Information
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1.69/1.70
Humanities Bridgeford Street
Manchester
