BENGALURU: Mobility plagues the citizens of Bengaluru on a daily basis, from high fuel cost to vehicle density. A session on urban mobility at the Global Investors’ Meet on Wednesday, focused on solutions and green transport.
“India is at the peak of economic growth and it comes with people movement. Growth can only happen when there are solutions for mobility. India’s focus should be to decarbonise public transport, it can be in the form of buses or electric vehicles,” said Santosh Iyer, Managing Director and CEO, Mercedes Benz India.
He added that operating infrastructure for EVs is a big challenge, while the bigger challenge is the cultural shift. The education system is playing a crucial role in raising awareness, he said.
Aravind Mani, co-founder and CEO, River, highlighted the lack of connectivity across the country. “The major issue is infrastructure. Most Indian cities are larger than some European countries. Only 23 cities in India have metro services. The city expanded to around 20 towns on the outskirts, but connectivity to these is the issue.”
Karthik Ganesan, Fellow and Director-Strategic Partnership, Council on Energy, Environment and Water, said the government has to set down strict norms when it comes to emissions. “People have to become more participative. The problem with Indian cities is we have built economic centres and not urban centres, so travelling becomes a big hassle,” he said.
The aviation sector, too, is looking to shift to sustainable aviation fuel. Boeing and NASA are developing a new prototype aircraft. Robert Boyd, Global Sustainability Policy and Partnerships, Boeing, told TNIE, “It is a NASA grant to work in collaboration. It will be out in 2027-28. Called the X-66 ‘Transonic Truss-braced Wing’, it will be revolutionary and a modification of the old MD90 aircraft. The engine on the tail has been removed. With higher wings and fewer engines, it will more efficient.”