If we want to reduce carbon footprints, we need to empower the low income population and promote sustainable transport systems for urban areas
Cycling as a sustainable mode of transport has revolutionised the mobility scenario in countries such as Denmark and The Netherlands, with substantial savings on the health expenditures of these countries. Even in countries like China, cycles have made a strong comeback with a majority choosing to cycle. But cycle ownership is rapidly declining in urban India. Ironically, imports of cycles are growing at an annual rate of 25 per cent — mainly from China. How do you reverse this trend and make cycles a solution for growing transport, environmental and health problemsIJ
The case of Denmark’s cycle revolution makes for fascinating reading. Through a series of measures, the country has today one of the highest per capita cycle ownership in the world. This has enabled the country to save US $40 million annually on health care costs. Unfortunately, in India, cycling is declining in urban India — from 46 per cent household ownership in 2001 to 42 per cent in 2011. And in rural, India only 46 per cent households own a cycle. In contrast, in rural China, almost every household owns a cycle. The cause of cycling needs to be taken up as it is intrinsically linked to cutting health and environmental costs and building sustainable mobility for the masses. Cycling is an affordable, eco-friendly and sustainable mode of transport. It has huge health benefits too, considering that nearly half of all the deaths in India are primarily due to non-communicable diseases, many of which are linked to inactive and unhealthy lifestyles. Today, Indian cities hardly have separate tracks for cycling. And in-build mechanisms to promote clean transport have not been incorporated in city planning. What is also alarming is the increase in the number of cyclists who are killed in road accidents — from 5,433 in 2009 to 6,600 in 2012, according to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Many lives could have been saved if separate cycling tracks were provided in the transport infrastructure.
If the government wants to take a leaf out of countries such as Denmark, The Netherlands and China, it will need to address the concerns of the cycling industry as well as formulate policies that make cycling infrastructure part of its ‘Smart Cities’ campaign. The urgency to buck this trend emanates from the fact that even today cycles are primarily used by the low-income group and poor populations. They have not become sustainable transport options for the urban middle class or the rich and for poor rural households, they are expensive.
Incentives and ownership
The way to buck this trend will involve various measures. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in its recently-released report, Pedalling towards a Greener India: A report on promoting cycling in the country, and in association with the All India Cycle Manufacturers’ Association, has come up with a number of recommendations to promote cycling. Among them is to waive taxes for cycles that cost less than `5,000 and enabling large poor populations to get access to cycling. The report calls for providing finance options to poor households for purchasing cycles and promoting cycle ownership among school children through free cycle distribution.
The Indian cycling industry is today facing stiff competition from Chinese players and is losing vital market share in the process. Interestingly, imports of cycles are growing at a fast rate — mainly from China. China has also cornered lucrative global markets, both high-end and low-end because it has benefitted from low cost of capital, freight subsidy and lower energy cost leading to a lower production cost (around 15-20 per cent lower) than India, which gives them a comparative advantage in the Indian as well as global markets. The Indian industry also faces several technological challenges and needs to leapfrog to match the global standards. There is an urgent need to check the health of our industry and give it an impetus to become an important domestic and global player.
If the Indian government wants to achieve the goals of reducing public health and environmental costs, it will need to empower the low income populations and promote sustainable transport systems for urban areas. It will also need to have a multi-pronged approach that creates demand for cycling and also enables the domestic suppliers to meet this demand. As Dr RK Pachauri, DG, TERI, says, “Cycling as a means of providing mobility has substantial benefits, such as lower levels of air pollution and affordability for the poorest sections of society. Additionally, for urban dwellers leading sedentary lives, the use of bicycles provides physical exercise, which is good for physical and mental health.”
His words found an echo in Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, who recently called for mass movement to promote cycling, saying that ‘health for all’ must be linked to the objectives of promoting cycling in the country. He also emphasised the need for enabling the poor people to own and use this sustainable and affordable mode of transport. Pankaj Munjal, co-chairman and MD, HERO Cycles, says that efforts should be made to streamline cycling as a tool for empowerment and an economic opportunity for rural India. The report also calls for a technology support scheme and setting up a Cycle Industry Upgradation Fund Scheme (CUFS) to provide support to the bicycle industry. If the government can replicate the measures taken by Denmark, The Netherlands and China to promote cycling and indigenous cycling manufacturers, it can surely make a revolutionary difference to the quality of lives of millions of people, both in rural as well as urban habitats.
TERI Feature Service