Transitopia - by Mansha Swami

Micro-mobility refers to lightweight modes of transportation that enable individuals to travel short distances. Examples of micro-mobility options include bicycles, e-bikes (both docked and dockless), e-scooters (both docked and dockless), roller skates, tricycles, mobility scooters, unicycles, golf carts, kick scooters, one-wheels, quadracycles, wheelchairs, segways, personal transporters, and skateboards. These modes are commonly used in urban areas for commuting over shorter distances. Skateboarding, as a micro-mobility mode, has gained popularity among teenagers, college students, and adults in various countries such as the USA, Japan, England, Brazil, Germany, Australia, China, Denmark, and others. With an average speed of 10-20 km/h, skateboarding serves as a recreational sport that helps reduce stress while improving coordination and balance. Skateparks not only foster community bonding but also have a positive impact on local businesses by utilizing unused spaces. Notably, sk...

Besides the proliferation of large gyms across the hilly city, it is important to explore other fitness and mobility options available to the citizens of Dehradun. Do the residents of this city lack motivation or are they simply too busy to prioritize an active lifestyle? Let us not rely on outdated data from decades ago, as Swedish physician and bestselling author of the book "Factfulness" advises. In the past, it was true that the average citizen of Dehradun used to walk a considerable number of steps daily. However, over the past four years, the situation has changed significantly, contrary to popular belief. In 2019-20, students from DIT University's Civil Engineering Department, under my supervision, conducted an assessment of active mobility in Dehradun during and after the COVID-19 lockdown. We collected data from over 500 residents using Google Forms as part of our design project. Our findings revealed some interesting insights. When asked about their preferre...