Happy Earth Day

25 April 2009

The world's first tram was horse drawn and ran on 8km of track in Swansea, UK (1807).

April 22 is Earth Day – a time when concerned citizens and world leaders reflect on the dire consequences of unabated development and consider options for healing the planet. Shenphen Zangpo looks at how Thimphu
can contribute to achieving this goal

If the world is to continue to support human life, there is one word that sums up future transportation: green. With global warming an ever present threat and food shortages becoming a reality, the need to contain pollution and reduce our carbon footprint has never been more urgent.

Even though images of large petrol guzzling cars cruising along US streets has long since been consigned to the celluloid of Hollywood classics, persuading the general public to abandon personal vehicles in favour of public transport still remains an arduous task. In many urban areas, people have become totally accustomed to jumping into a car and driving to a nearby shop merely to purchase a bottle of juice or a bag of potato chips. Prising them away from this mentality will not be easy.

Still, under pressure to reduce dependency on fossil fuels, cities around the globe have begun various initiatives. London, for example, uses congestion charges to entice people onto the metro system. Every vehicle that enters the central area of the city is charged a fee. Taipei rents out bicycles that can be dropped off at designated metro stations. Other cities levy fees against drivers who enter the down town area at peak times without at least three accompanying passengers. Most initiatives use both a carrot and stick approach. The stick is usually in the form of financial disincentives, such as charges levied for entering certain areas or high parking fees. The carrot comes in the form of cheap, convenient and high quality public transport.

Thimphu obviously does not suffer the congestion problems of London, a city of around ten million people, and its carbon footprint is minuscule compared to metropolises of twenty plus million inhabitants like Shanghai or Tokyo. Yet, with a developing economy, the increase of cars is placing a strain on the city’s infrastructure, and traffic jams have become the norm along Norzin Lam at rush hour.

Furthermore, Thimphu shares an unfortunate similarity to Kathmandu – both cities are located in valleys surrounded by dust-trapping mountains. Therefore, it is not inconceivable that without appropriate transportation management, the city could develop serious pollution problems in the foreseeable future. One only has to look at the decline in air quality in Kathmandu over the past decade to envisage what could happen here.

So, what are the possibilities? Bicycle lanes are a definite option for Thimphu. Cheap and easy to maintain, a designated bicycle lane running along the freeway from Babesa to the bazaar and then along the river basin to Jungshina or even Dechencholing could prove popular with the young and offer health benefits to the office bound worker.

Up-grading the bus service is also an option. However, this kind of public transport is generally not considered ‘cool’ enough for city executives, and even a high quality system would not persuade most to abandon their personal vehicles. This scenario exists the world over, not only in Thimphu.

Obviously the city could not construct a metro, but I believe a light tram system could be a viable proposition here.

Bhutan has an abundance of hydro-electric power, and so after the initial expense of laying track and purchase of carriages, running the system would be relatively cheap. Furthermore, trams offer the dual benefit of being both efficient and environmentally friendly.

To entice people out of their cars, however, it is essential that stops are conveniently located, such as at Changjiji, Changzamthok, Referral Hospital, Memorial Chorten, various stops along a pedestrianized Norzin Lam, BBS, dzong, and Jungshina. Furthermore, as most people will not live near suburban stops, adequate parking should be established at places like Changjiji and Jungshina.

Like parts of a human body, we are all connected and interdependent. Coal fired power- plants in China can lead to an increase in cancer in the West Coast of the US. Burning of forests in Indonesia has been linked to regional droughts. Our very survival depends on fresh air, clean water and healthy crops, and so it is all our interests to protect the environment. Initiating a green transportation policy for Thimphu would not only be a major gesture towards reducing the nation’s carbon footprint, but would also provide the city with a clean and efficient transportation system. Bhutan has been exemplary with regard to environmental protection. Perhaps now is the time to extend the success from forests to transportation. Happy Earth Day!

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