The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) on Friday launched the Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework (CSCAF) 2.0, along with the ‘Streets for People Challenge’ in a virtual event organised by the Smart Cities Mission.
The framework has 28 indicators across five categories which include Energy and Green Buildings, Urban Planning, Green Cover and Biodiversity, Mobility and Air Quality, Water Management and Waste Management.
“The objective of CSCAF is to provide a roadmap for cities for combating Climate Change while planning and implementing their actions, including investments”, said Hardeep Singh Puri, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister.
As the lockdowns lift, cities face many challenges in providing safe, affordable, and equitable modes of transport that enable social distancing.
“Limited public transport options, narrow, crowded sidewalks particularly in market places and deterioration of mental health, are key issues that must be addressed on priority. Pedestrianisation of streets for walking and creating public spaces is a crucial step towards mitigating these issues. Cities around the world, such as Bogota, Berlin, and Milan have responded by transforming streets for walking and cycling, to ensure safe mobility during COVID-19,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Climate Centre for Cities under National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) is supporting MoHUA in implementation of CSCAF.
The Streets for People Challenge is the response to the need for making our cities more pedestrian friendly.
“The Challenge builds on the advisory issued by MoHUA for the holistic planning for pedestrian-friendly market spaces, earlier this year. The Challenge will support cities across the country to develop a unified vision of streets for people in consultation with stakeholders and citizens,” said the official statement.
It aims to inspire cities to create walking-friendly and vibrant streets through quick, innovative, and low-cost measures.