India’s major cities are smothered by the dense smog of cars, and yet the car market is still growing exponentially. It’s time to take a closer look at how this came to be and learn about the people who are striving to reverse it.
The pollution in India has become an intense problem due to rapidly expanding car usage. In fact, 22 cities across India have made it onto the top 30 most polluted cities list in the world. Road congestion has become a growing concern, with more and more vehicles on the roads competing for space on a daily basis.
The traffic situation is so dire that experts have called India’s traffic issue an epidemic. People often find themselves stuck in gridlock for hours each day, and air pollution levels rise as a result of exhaust fumes from all these cars on the road. Some of these health effects include breathing difficulties and other respiratory problems caused by poor air quality.
Fortunately, there are those trying to tackle this problem head-on. Activists, politicians, engineers and everyday citizens are shaping initiatives that aim to reduce traffic congestion and promote sustainable transport systems in India’s cities. These green plans range from installing bike lanes and encouraging people to cycle for short journeys, to constructing elevated walkways that make getting around much easier for pedestrians than using their own vehicles would do so.
These brave efforts need public support—not only from those directly involved in crafting solutions—but also from everyone else who wants cleaner air in our cities today and into the future. To learn more about how Indian citizens are working together to unclog its roads, watch ‘The Traffic Epidemic: Unclogging India’s Roads’ documentary!
