Environmental Considerations in Transport

Dr. Pawan Kumar, Associate TCP, Town & Country Planning Organization, M/o Urban Development, Govt. of India, New Delhi.

Introduction

The availability and usage of different motorized modes of transport not only affect the environment but also contribute to global warming and climate change. Similarly, planning, designing and development of transport projects and construction of transport infrastructure also impact the environment and therefore environment considerations and their assessment is vital. It is well known fact that transport has significant detrimental effects on both built and natural environment along with human beings. Such effects have lifelong impacts and therefore the same may be mitigated at different stages of planning, designing, construction and operation. In this context, it is important to carry out the assessment of the consequences of programs, policies and projects related to transport on environment at micro and macro level.