Bengaluru, September 3 – The Mobility Champions program, aimed at working towards reducing vehicular emissions and congestion in the city, is being hosted by Young Leaders for Active Citizenship (YLAC) in partnership with the #BengaluruMoving campaign, World Resources Institute India (WRI) and Let Me Breathe (LMB). The program, started on July 25, is grooming 12 passionate young residents of Bengaluru as ‘Mobility Champions’ to build support for promising mobility solutions among policymakers and citizens.
The Mobility Champions program is part of the wider ‘Bengaluru Moving’ campaign, which is aimed at highlighting the challenges of public transport in Bengaluru and the need for better first and last mile connectivity, non-motorised transport (NMT) solutions and investment in urban transport infrastructure, while encouraging citizens to use Public Transport.
The focus is currently on supporting efficient public transportation, including bus lanes, and designing solutions to increase uptake of public transportation among residents. With the entire program being run remotely in the wake of restrictions posed by COVID 19, YLAC has instituted the Bengaluru Active Citizenship Labs – a 45-day engagement program – to fast track the grooming of the 12 Mobility Champions. Additionally, online advocacy initiatives are also being run by the Mobility Champions, including outreach to policymakers, civil society and citizen groups.
Speaking about the Mobility Champions program, Rohit Kumar, Co-founder, YLAC said, “The Mobility Champions initiative with the #BengaluruMoving campaign is an important first in many such initiatives that YLAC plans to undertake under its Active Citizenship Labs. The goal is to get citizens to take an active part in shaping their lives by constructively engaging with the issues that affect them.”
“My biggest motivation to work on this campaign stems from the fact that traffic is the one issue turning Bengaluru from one of the most livable cities in India to a nightmare. All of us have constantly complained and discussed mobility issues in the city, but seldom do we get an opportunity to use our skills and experience in making a difference,” said Sowmya V, one of the 12 Mobility Champions. An alumnus of IIT Madras, in her day job, Sowmya is actively working to catalyse urban transformation and enhance ease of living through digital infrastructure at urban local bodies.
Sharing his thoughts on the impact of the program, Sudeept Maiti, Senior Manager, Integrated Transport at WRI said, “Improving Bengaluru’s mobility issues will require participation at different levels and through different stakeholders. Meaningful public engagement is an important first step at addressing these concerns, and getting more citizens onboard our public transit systems. The Mobility Champions represent a great initiative to involve Bengaluru’s youth in the issues that affect them on a daily basis.”
Speaking about the need for mobility solutions emanating from citizens, Rohit added, “Bengaluru, and many other cities in India, are plagued by mobility issues that have drastically reduced the liveability of our cities. And the government alone can’t fix the problem. It is a massive problem that needs technical solutions and better urban planning, but also behavioral change and common action by citizens. At the core of the solution, therefore, we believe, is active citizenship.”