Inclusionary Urbanisation

Context

• With a clear focus on the expansion of Metro Rail and bus services through Central funding, Budget 2021 has recognised a core component of urbanisation.

Clean and Green mass mobility

• Comfortable, safe and affordable commuting has well-recognised multiplier effects for the economy and more generally for public health, although COVID-19 has had the perverse effect of driving people away to the safety of personal car and two-wheeler bubbles.
• There is little doubt that when the pandemic is under control, more people will return to clean and green mass mobility.

Upcoming metro projects

• Central funding of 1,957 crore, 63,246 crore and 14,788 crore for the Kochi, Chennai and Bengaluru Metro projects, respectively, gives these big cities greater certainty that they can meet targets.

Is the PPP model for public bus transport viable?

• Less certain, however, is the impact of the proposed 18,000 crore plan to augment public bus transport using a PPP model that will enable private sector players to finance, acquire, operate and maintain over 20,000 buses.
• India’s ratio of buses to population is a low 1.2 per 1,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Thailand and 6.5 in South Africa, although some States like Karnataka are well ahead of the national average, as per NITI Aayog data.
• Licensed private urban bus services remain a politically sensitive topic in many States, where State monopolies coexist with unregulated paratransit, and it will take a major effort to convince them that a bus renaissance is a good post-pandemic recovery strategy.
• The amended Motor Vehicles Act has provisions for the Centre to take the lead here.
• The challenge of urbanisation goes beyond standalone interventions such as Metro and bus system grants.
• State governments, which retain effective control over urban development rather than city administrations, have failed to operationalise the umbrella authorities to regulate transport.
• Common mobility cards that would help citizens use bus, train and feeder networks seamlessly were largely in pilot project mode even before the pandemic.

Exclusionary urbanisation

• There is valid criticism that the existing paradigm is one of “exclusionary urbanisation”, which makes Metro and bus services expensive for the majority, particularly for those forced to live in the suburbs due to housing costs, and sometimes making the per kilometre cost of using a two-wheeler more attractive.
• Moreover, Census 2011 showed that the number of Census Towns, which are urban for census purposes but not named urban local bodies, grew tremendously over a decade.
• They lack access to funding, infrastructure and capacity to meet the needs of large populations even now.

Conclusion

• Enhanced ambition, therefore, requires the Centre to work with State governments to integrate key areas with its transport vision, such as affordable inner-city housing, including rental projects, access to civic services and health care, and enhanced sustainability, greenery and walkability.
• All these are covered by Central budgetary schemes for cities. Only integration can bring about inclusive urbanisation.

TRAI Regulations

• The Delhi High Court on Wednesday ordered the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to ensure “complete and strict” implementation of the regulation issued by it in 2018 for curbing unsolicited commercial communications (UCC).

• A Bench of Chief Justice D.N. Patel and Justice Jyoti Singh also directed the telecom service providers (TSPs), including Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Reliance Jio, Airtel and Vodafone, to ensure strict compliance with the Telecom Commercial Communications Customer Preferences Regulations (TCCCPR) 2018 issued by TRAI.

• Paytm had, in its plea, alleged that telecom operators are not blocking those who are defrauding its customers by “phishing” activities over various mobile networks. Paytm had contended that the telecom majors are violating their obligations under the TCCCPR 2018, to curb problem of unsolicited commercial communications
• Paytm claimed that under the regulations, the telecom companies are required to verify purported telemarketers seeking registration (called registered telemarketers or RTMs) with them before granting access to their customer data and also take action immediately against all fraudulent RTMs. It contended that the telcos “failure” to undertake proper verification prior to such registration enables fraudulent telemarketers to carry out phishing activities.

Budget 2021 and Public Transportation

• With a clear focus on the expansion of Metro Rail and bus services through Central funding, Budget 2021 has recognised a core component of urbanisation.
• Comfortable, safe and affordable commuting has well-recognised multiplier effects for the economy and more generally for public health, although COVID-19 has had the perverse effect of driving people away to the safety of personal cars and two-wheeler bubbles.
• There is little doubt that when the pandemic is under control, more people will return to clean and green mass mobility.
• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s announcement of Central funding of? 1,957 crore, ?63,246 crores and ? 14,788 crores for the Kochi, Chennai and Bengaluru Metro projects, respectively, gives these big cities greater certainty that they can meet targets.
• Less certain, however, is the impact of the proposed? 18,000 crore plan to augment public bus transport using a PPP model that will enable private sector players to finance, acquire, operate and maintain over 20,000 buses.
• India’s ratio of buses to population is a low 1.2 per 1,000 people, compared to 8.6 in Thailand and 6.5 in South Africa, although some States like Karnataka are well ahead of the national average, as per NITI Aayog data.
• Licensed private urban bus services remain a politically sensitive topic in many States, where State monopolies coexist with unregulated paratransit, and it will take a major effort to convince them that a bus renaissance is a good post-pandemic recovery strategy.
• The amended Motor Vehicles Act has provisions for the Centre to take the lead here.

Challenges of Urbanisation

• The challenge of urbanisation goes beyond standalone interventions such as Metro and bus system grants.
• State governments, which retain effective control over urban development rather than city administrations, have failed to operationalise the umbrella authorities to regulate transport.
• Common mobility cards that would help citizens use the bus, train and feeder networks seamlessly were largely in pilot project mode even before the pandemic.
• There is valid criticism that the existing paradigm is one of “exclusionary urbanisation”, which makes Metro and bus services expensive for the majority, particularly for those forced to live in the suburbs due to housing costs, and sometimes making the per kilometre cost of using a two-wheeler more attractive.
• Moreover, Census 2011 showed that the number of Census Towns, which are urban for census purposes but not named urban local bodies, grew tremendously over a decade.
• Census Towns lack access to funding, infrastructure and capacity to meet the needs of large populations even now.
• Enhanced ambition, therefore, requires the Centre to work with State governments to integrate key areas with its transport vision, such as affordable inner-city housing, including rental projects, access to civic services and health care, and enhanced sustainability, greenery and walkability.
• All these are covered by Central budgetary schemes for cities. Only integration can bring about inclusive urbanisation.

Border Security: ‘Smart walls’ for Indian borders

• United States President Joe Biden stopped the construction of the much-publicised “border wall” between the U.S. and Mexico as part of a series of executive actions, in a development that was long-awaited.

• It was confirmed, however, that an alternative has been offered — a ‘smart’ wall that replaces the physical and armed patrolling with advanced surveillance tech is the proposed future of border security now.
• The ‘smart wall’ technology could solve border security issues without the need for a physical barrier.
• The wall would use sensors, radars, and surveillance technology to detect and track border break-ins, and technology capable of performing the most difficult tasks dedicated to border security.

USA-Mexico border concept

• The concept is not new and its novelty of it cannot be directly associated with Mr Biden. Interestingly, the U.S.-Mexico border wall proposed by Donald Trump envisaged this concept.
• A technology firm was sought to be hired by the Trump administration, and it was indicated that artificial intelligence shall be used at a novel scale to complement the steel barrier (border wall) project of Mr. Trump.
• It was stated that hundreds of mobile surveillance towers would be deployed, and along with them, the complete system of a virtual wall would consist of a radar satellite, computer-equipped border-control vehicles, control sensors and underground sensors.
• Along with surveillance towers and cameras, thermal imaging would be used, which would help in the detection of objects.
• The system would even be capable of distinguishing between animals, humans, and vehicles, and then sending updates to handheld mobile devices of the U.S. patrol agents.

Why should India use “smart walls” for Indian borders?

• India has been struggling with the problem of terrorists and smugglers infiltrating into the country and efforts are ongoing to secure our borders and curb cross-border infiltration.

• Therefore, it is proposed that it is high time we start envisaging the use of technology to help India secure its borders.
• A critical factor that must be considered to enable the usage of such a system along Indian borders is that the terrain in the region is rugged, and, furthermore, not even clearly defined.
• Hence, erecting fences, walls or any physical structures is extremely difficult.
• A “smart” wall, however, makes use of systems that would be designed in such a way that they can operate even in rugged areas.
• Imperatively, in the U.S., various other benefits, such as cost-effectiveness, less damage to the environment, fewer land seizures, and speedier deployment are being noted that give the “smart wall” concept an edge over traditional physical borders.
• Notably, such a system, even if not feasible for our long boundaries, may still be deployed to enhance critical security establishments of the country and complement the already-existing physical fencing and walls.
• The attack on the Pathankot Air Force base highlighted that often, it may become difficult to secure establishments due to their vast size.
• Further, it is imperative for Indian armed forces to be well-equipped and simultaneously have the latest technological advantage over its enemies.

Way Forward

• Experts must explore this idea to effectively counter the problem of cross-border infiltration.
• Is it unfathomable to deploy a security system that clubs technology with traditional set-ups due to terrain and other problematic factors?
• This is a question for Digital India to answer.

New Metro Rail Projects Proposed in the Budget

FM Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget announcement stated that Metro Lite and Metro-Neo technologies will be deployed to provide metro rail systems in Tier-2 cities and the peripheral areas of Tier-1 cities, at much lesser costs with the same experience, convenience and safety.

About Metro Neo

• Metro Neo is a mass rapid transit system providing low-cost, energy-efficient and eco-friendly urban transport solution for tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
• Drawing power from overhead wires, Metro Neo will not run on track but on road. It is suitable for places where traffic is huge during peak time.
• The Maharashtra government has already given a green signal for this Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) for Nashik.

About Metrolite

• The ‘Metrolite’ system will have a dedicated path separating the road traffic with it. For segregation with road traffic, fencing can be provided on either side of the network.
• The three-coach train will have a carrying capacity of 300 passengers. Sources said the government would provide financial assistance to states to implement the light urban rail transit system.

Global Risks Report 2021 by World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released the 16th edition of the Global Risk Report, 2021 based on the Global Risks Perception Survey (GRPS). The Report states that environmental risks continue to threaten the global economy.

The top 5 risks it mentions are:

• extreme weather
• climate action failure
• human environmental damage
• infectious diseases
• Biodiversity loss

where infectious diseases top the list in terms of impact.

National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well-being

• The Government of India has recently launched the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well-being.
• The mission aims to explore the neglected links between biodiversity science and human well-being across the sectors of health, economic development, agricultural production and livelihood generation, in combination with efforts to mitigate climate change and related disasters.
• One of the components of the mission explicitly links biodiversity to human health through the OneHealth framework.
• The OneHealth programme aims to encourage team science by having networks of institutions collectively bid for grants to set up integrated OneHealth surveillance systems across India.

One Health concept is being recognized as an effective way to fight health issues at the human-animal-environment interface, including zoonotic diseases.

This concept is used by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). In India, it is a component of the National Mission on Biodiversity and Human Well-Being.