THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a move to ensure a new transport culture, Kerala is all set for promoting public modes of transport as well as electric vehicles. The state is considering to rope in brand ambassadors to promote public transport in addition to ideas of Public Private Dichotomy for better road culture. Taking a step in the right direction, the state gave a presentation in New Delhi on the importance of a new transport culture. At the recently-held MOVE (Future of Mobility In India) Conference at Vigyan Bhawan, Chief Secretary Tom Jose made it clear the state’s future is in promoting public transport.
“The presentation was mainly on high population density in Kerala and availability of the same road space for the high volume of vehicles coming to the market,” the Chief Secretary told Express. The idea and concept of public transportation should be popularised in the state in a big way. The state is moving ahead in this direction and it will be one of the main focus areas in the days to come, he said.
In his presentation, the top bureaucrat stressed the need to upgrade technology during the modernisation of roads and the necessity to increase the number of driver-less vehicles. Studies have revealed 95 pc of accidents and related deaths are due to human error. With the advent of driver-less vehicles, the volume of accidents will come down drastically.
There are transport systems employing Artificial Intelligence in Western countries. The roads will directly communicate to vehicles using certain programmes. The time is ripe for implementing such drastic changes in infrastructure of roads in Kerala, Jose pointed out.The Chief Secretary added there’s very less or almost zero possibility for constructing new roads in Kerala and the solution is to modify the existing roads with modern technologies. The increase in usage of electric vehicles and promotion of public transport will reduce the congestion in major cities and this will lead to the pollution levels drastically coming down.
Though Metro rail is a good mode of transport in Kerala, the cost-factor makes it unviable. That is the reason for pulling this back. In his presentation, the Chief Secretary said there are methods like selling the seats in a train to an individual or group, say for 100 years. This is the model in practice in big stadiums in the United States and Europe wherein the seats are bought for life.
If the person or his family cannot go and watch a particular match, he/she can transfer the seat for a price either back to the organisers or any individual for that particular match. This method can fetch revenue and this can be an added revenue to the existing modes of revenue gathering.