[ghodlur]

Mumbai city has been selected one amongst the other 10 cities selected by Bloomberg philanthropies for adopting the best road safety practices. Bloomberg will commit $12 million for the next 5 years in improving the traffic rules, driving and safety rules and congestion reducing by using technology to impose and sensitize public and drivers towards traffic discipline and tackling behavioural issues. Bloomberg aims to have senior-level, full-time staff to work within city governments on their road safety initiatives for up to 5 years to provide technical assistance, training for traffic personnel and city staff with support for some hard hitting mass media safety campaigns. A MOU will be signed on the 17th february 2015 in presence of Maharashtra CM and Bloomberg foundation chief.

Other cities selected by Bloomberg include Bangkok, Shanghai, Sao Paolo amongst others

Some excerpts:

With a new commitment of $125 million over five years for the selected cities, the foundation can offer up to Rs 90-100 crore for Mumbai to adopt standard practices such as traffic rules, driving discipline and safety, and reducing congestion. The selected cities will receive: senior-level, full-time staff to work within city governments on their road safety initiatives for up to 5 years, comprehensive technical assistance from the world's leading road safety organizations, training for police officers and other relevant city staff, and support to create hard-hitting mass media campaigns. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) will be signed between state and the foundation on 17th in Mumbai for the project in the presence of Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Michael Bloomberg of the foundation.

The expert consultants will be roped in by the foundation and will collaborate with the BMC and traffic authorities to win people's participation in various initiatives. "The programme is more about enhancing traffic management standards than just imposing rules," sources pointed out.

"Project will be a system based management of traffic with more use of technology instead of imposing and sensitizing the public and drivers and tackling some behavioural issues. For this data collection will be done. Pedestrians first, station area improvement, non-motorised transport will mostly figure on the agenda,"

More details in the link below:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/46222538.cms

This does spell some good news for the already crowded and congested city. Whats is irksome is that someone outside the country had to intervene and provide the grants when this initiative could have been taken to advantage by the present state government.

[amit]

Will collaborate with the BMC and traffic authorities to win people's participation in various initiatives. "The programme is more about enhancing traffic management standards than just imposing rules," sources pointed out.

How much do BMC & traffic authorities know about traffic management in the first place? The emphasis on traffic management is brilliant but in our country traffic authorities believe that their primary responsibility is not traffic management but penalising the driver for traffic violations. The only thing traffic police do is catch driver's for breaking signal's and having sun films. I don't know how Bloomberg is going to work with these lethargic government authorities on traffic management

[rpunwani]

I believe that the present traffic chaos is concoction of various factors like illiterate drivers, lax enforcement of traffic rules, careless & impatient attitude of the drivers; walk anywhere attitude of pedestrians, etc.

I was very happy when there was a proposal to raise fines to min. Rs. 5,000/-; sadly this has now been diluted to Rs. 500/- I often travel in taxis and the drivers almost always break signals. When I confront them, they simply say that since there is no cop around everyone does it. I have lived all my life in Mumbai and I have seen the traffic discipline deteriorate rapidly. No one seems to care, nor do the police. Many times, I see police vehicles on the wrong side of the road.

Smaller countries like Thailand & even Sri Lanka have much better self discipline. I eagerly wait for the day when enforcement becomes strict. One does not have to station the cops at every signal, they should move around & catch and fine every erring driver - whether a police vehicle, Government vehicle, BEST bus, taxi, car or two-wheeler.

Also educating the public with appropriate media will help.

[Traveller Nayak]

A company like Bloomberg no doubt has financial resources. But in Indian context, this is a good amount of money. Does anyone know if Bloomberg does this regularly or are they starting this year? Or is this somewhere linked to the newly introduced CSR stuff for companies? But CSR is for India based compnies. The newsreport indicates they are doing this in other countries. Irrespective of the motive - interesting and good stuff.

[manas27587]

I feel the money is not needed.
It is welcome though.

The most important thing I observe is the need for traffic discipline to be honoured by citizens themselves.

Secondly,We have the rules, the implementation lacks strength.

The police are supposed to prevent breaking of law and maintain discipline.
However they are involved in collecting fines.

Fines need to be raised exponentially. Only that will act as a deterrent.

Lastly, it should be a shame for the newly elected government to accept the 100cr from someone outside to improve Traffic

[honeybee]

As Ghodlur says, it does sound a bit sad that we have to rely on someone from outside to come clean our house, but then again with the dedicated funds and manpower, perhaps they will deliver better results in some areas such as sensitising the drivers - at least those who are educated.

The traffic situation has so gotten out of hand for the existing infrastructure that it's difficult ti isolate the cause or the remedy.

[gostel]

The government has repeatedly tried to improve traffic management but failed due to lack of technology. In Mumbai so many flyovers have been built to ease traffic and these have worked well. If somebody can come forward with a good traffic management system then that would be a blessing to all. There is no harm in learning from an outsider, after all many of our best brains go out of the country.

The major hurdles to traffic flow are: bad uneven roads slowing flow; excess parked vehicles blocking flow; non-adaptive signals stopping flow for no reason. If these hurdles are removed or minimized then the other problems like bad road discipline and pedestrian menace will diminish or even vanish.

[StarScream]

Originally Posted by Traveller Nayak

A company like Bloomberg no doubt has financial resources. But in Indian context, this is a good amount of money. Does anyone know if Bloomberg does this regularly or are they starting this year? Or is this somewhere linked to the newly introduced CSR stuff for companies? But CSR is for India based compnies. The newsreport indicates they are doing this in other countries. Irrespective of the motive - interesting and good stuff.

This is not the company, it is a philanthropic initiative of the man - Michael Bloomberg. And he's been bankrolling initiatives like this for many years, funded by his personal wealth. Anti-smoking and anti-tobacco is another area he is deeply involved with in India.

[RX135]

Every time I come across a thread on traffic management, invariably most sing tunes of how local corporation and police is bad in traffic management and how they are corrupt and incompetent, as if that's the evil causing all the chaos on our roads. While they do contribute to the menace, there is nothing more hypocritical than holding them responsible for everything that goes wrong.

Our society is grossly undisciplined and believes in short-cuts in every parts of life. While cursing police for being greedy and taking bribes, it's often forgotten that we give them chance to do so. In last 25 years of personal experience, I don't recall any policeman asking for bribe, unless the driver was at fault (either me driving or someone else driving with me). Yes, he may seek bribe for PUC, but then why have a polluting vehicle on the road first? He may seek bribe for jumping signal, but who jumps the signal and who offers to "settle" it first? Few others would call up their influential daddy/uncle/friend/friendly neighborhood politician. Same guys will then boast about how they "managed" a "Pandu".

Irony is that, I have seen many learned ones, who are extra cautious while driving outside of India, but don't give a second thought before breaking a rule in India.

It's easy to pass the buck to police/law enforcement and conveniently do nothing. Much harder to be disciplined.

Yes, Bloomberg will spend money, but I don't know how they will bring in culture of being responsible on the road.

[model-t]

+1 to the post above.

Even if Bloomberg gives us a Billion we will not improve. It is the people that have to change. Lets not blame the agencies for everything. I have seen enough Kurkure packets flying out of a 25+ lac car. If people do not have civic sense , what can a government do?

Lets change ourselves first.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by RX135

While they do contribute to the menace, there is nothing more hypocritical than holding them responsible for everything that goes wrong.

Yes, Bloomberg will spend money, but I don't know how they will bring in culture of being responsible on the road.

Originally Posted by model-t

+1 to the post above.
I have seen enough Kurkure packets flying out of a 25+ lac car. If people do not have civic sense , what can a government do?

Lets change ourselves first.

Spot on guys.

Its the same everywhere. Money doesn't solve problems magically, enforcement does.

Even otherwise, what does 20 crore in a year mean compared to the cost of Mumbai's roads or traffic enforcement system? Precious little.

We know how everyone (and including BHPians) reacted when they read the size of the new proposed fines. However, that's what works overseas.

My Aussie friends tell me that even if cyclists are found riding drunk OR are caught while jumping a red light, they get almost the same penalty as car drivers - 3 points docked on the license and $300 fine. That makes everyone, rich or poor, serious about their traffic sense. We have to move from making road use an entitlement to a privilege that must be exercised with courtesy and caution. Mind you - Mumbai is already a fairly well behaved city!

Closer to home, Delhi Traffic Police ensured the 2010 CWG with minimum jams even though 1/3 to 1/2 the road lane capacity was blocked off for CWG vehicles. We have the capability, but not the willingness.

Traffic change in India needs neither daulat nor naseehat, just strong neeyat.

Forget 100, even 10000 cr will not solve this issue.

[ghodlur]

Friends, Let us not be too much negative. May be something positive might turn out from the initiative. Bloomberg guys must have selected Mumbai for some good & valid reasons. I am sure they must have been on Mumbai streets to understand the behaviour of the Mumbai on the road.

I for one would be interested to know how they plan to change the mentality towards traffic rules and safe driving behaviours. Fines cannot be a solution, hard hitting media messages IMO is the biggest area of influence.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

I for one would be interested to know how they plan to change the mentality towards traffic rules and safe driving behaviours.

Agree. let's hope for the best

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Fines cannot be a solution, hard hitting media messages IMO is the biggest area of influence.

Why do you say that?

I don't see (m)any media messages in many countries advising people not to jump red lights.

Esp in places like India,with our levels of congestion, if there's only hard hitting media messages but no fines, everyone will jump the signal everytime if its safe enough in their mind. That's only an invitation to further chaos.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Why do you say that?

Esp in places like India,with our levels of congestion, if there's only hard hitting media messages but no fines, everyone will jump the signal everytime if its safe enough in their mind. That's only an invitation to further chaos.

What I wanted to say was Fines cannot be the only way to discipline the undisciplined lot. Unless the traffic sense is deeply rooted in the minds of people, things wont change for good. Fines are a way to instill the discipline but we all know that this is for limited period. Media messages can have a deeper impact and using media for long does help. I remember the gory ad being telecast everywhere regarding the effects of tobacco consumption in women leading to mouth cancer

As they say in cricketing terms "Form is temporary, technique is everlasting" (Sorry mods for going OT).

Just yesterday my son advised me about the flaws in my driving based on his observance and one of them was that I tried to squeeze in places when the traffic was high and used a couple of cuss words when others tried to come close to me. This was a revelation for me. Promised him that it would not happen again.

[GTO]

I'm completely with Phamilyman on this one. And we have a solid example of the same - link. End of the day, you just can't argue with sheer numbers.

Stringent enforcement with zero-tolerance totally brought down drunk driving in Mumbai. So hard was the crackdown that an entirely new industry of late-night chauffeurs (like party hard drivers) was born.

Nothing solved drunk driving - no media messages or billboards (and we had so many of them) - like the Mumbai Police did.