Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities
Year : 2011, Volume : 1, Issue : 4
First page : ( 118) Last page : ( 130)
Online ISSN : 2249-7315.

Transportation: Environment and externalities

Indira P M*, Ph.D Research Scholar

*John Mathai Centre, Aranattukara, Thrissur.

Online published on 3 January, 2012.

Abstract

Rapid urbanization with economic growth has generated corresponding increase in travel demand. However, neither the transport infrastructure development has kept pace with the increased travel, nor the investment strategy has been appropriately focused to provide efficient access and mobility to citizens. Due to lack of efficient, comfortable and reliable public transport coupled with buoyant economic growth, most of the cities in the country are already witnessing a rapid growth of personal vehicles. This coupled with the declining share of public transport has led to severe problems of congestion and its consequent costs in the form of travel delays, loss of productivity, air quality deterioration, noise pollution and increasing road fatalities. It is not only posing a serious threat to sustainability of urban and rural areas but also impacting India's energy security with increased consumption of petroleum fuel. Present paper attempt to trace out how transport affect environment of cities and towns and find out the externalities related to transportation. If cities are to be the engines of economic growth that power India's development in the 21^st century, transportation systems have to be their lifeline. Immediate proactive measures are needed to deal with the emerging situation. The only emerging solution is to invest sincerely in public transport, pedestrianisation and non motorized vehicles now or pay very heavily later since the continuous growth in number of personalized mode will also require very high constant investments in terms of road infrastructure to accommodate the increased number of vehicles on road. The mushroom growth of vehicles in an alarming rate every year makes the problem of air pollution and this air pollution is a threat to environmental sustainability. The importance of the study lies here. The damage that we cause to the environments makes it difficult for the future generation to live on earth comfortably.

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