Rapid transition to low-emission transportation systems is central to India’s aspirational Viksit Bharat@2047 mission (i.e., becoming a developed nation by the centenary of its independence) that positions sustainable urban development, including livability and inclusivity, as core objectives. Recent years have witnessed significant planning and policy attention to decarbonize urban transportation using multiple approaches: promotion of electric vehicles by boosting production and encouraging adoption, expansion of rail-based urban and regional mass transit infrastructure, exploration of urban road pricing schemes to reduce congestion and promote alternative modes, creation of walking- and bicycling-friendly environments, and implementation of road safety initiatives to make non-motorized mode use feasible. These strategic interventions can potentially serve as critical levers for promoting low-carbon urban travel, contributing to vibrant, livable, and economically productive cities in India. However, planning and financing the enabling infrastructure, promoting behavioral change, activating the private sector manufacturing and service delivery ecosystems, and ensuring that low-carbon mobility transitions happen equitably without reducing accessibility of the transportation-disadvantaged remain key challenges that Indian transport policymakers need to creatively address.
In this context, the presentation has five aims. First, it will examine India’s ambitious goals and current achievements in these domains, highlighting infrastructure investments, policy trajectories, and implementation progress. Second, it will synthesize empirical research conducted in the Indian context – focusing on scientific policy prescriptions and evaluations – and situate it in a comparative international perspective. Third, it will present selected ongoing research projects that can inform India’s transition towards low-emission transportation systems. Fourth, it will identify gaps and opportunities for future research on transport policy design and evaluation in India and comparable geographic contexts. Finally, it will discuss ways to move towards an integrated, coherent strategy for sustainable mobility in India.
Undoubtedly, India can play a leading role in developing innovative, cost-effective, and context-sensitive approaches to overcoming urban transportation decarbonization challenges, with important implications for global sustainable mobility research and practice.
This event will run at 9 – 10 AM EST and 6.30 – 7.30 PM IST
About the speaker
Dr. Sandip Chakrabarti is the JSW Endowed Chair in Innovation and Public Policy, and Associate Professor and Chair of Public Systems at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad. He has a Ph.D. from the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Dr. Chakrabarti’s current research, teaching, and consulting interests include sustainable transport policy, urban economics, transportation finance, health policy, and corporate sustainability.
*The link to the event will be sent out 24 hours in advance
