BHUBANESWAR: The Capital City has the second highest perceived public transport reliability in the country. As per India’s first Ease of Moving Index-2018 report released by Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways, Shipping and Water Resources Nitin Gadkari on Thursday, 77 per cent residents felt that the state of mobility in Bhubaneswar has improved over the last five years.
The ‘Ease of Moving Index’ report by Ola Mobility Institute has benchmarked cities on services offered, infrastructure and sustainability of mobility options.
The report sought to offer a comprehensive action plan for cities to further strengthen their public transportation systems and improve the overall state of mobility.
While 67 per cent residents in Bhubaneswar found public transport affordable and reasonable, 94 per cent said they were aware of Public Information System. Findings from the report revealed that 69 per cent residents use public transport while 60 per cent of trips are on foot, pedal, cycle rickshaws, buses and auto-rickshaws.
“People are steadily shifting towards personal vehicles in absence of adequate formal public transport. Close to half of all households own two-wheelers and 11 per cent own cars. If left unchecked, personal vehicles may exceed the share of sustainable commuting and cross the tipping point,” the report said.
With sustainability being the need of the hour, the report offered a roadmap which will aid transit agencies and urban planners to make informed decisions and align solutions with preferences of commuters.
The institute surveyed over 43,000 respondents from 20 cities spanning across the length and breadth of the country. The cities were selected on five parameters - scale, character, culture, economy and geography.