Dehradun's Potential for Becoming Sustainable Mobility Ambassador

 

Dehradun, amongst all other Indian cities, has a great potential to become the next sustainable mobility ambassador. The city is blessed with a supportive climate and soil profile. More trees on the roadsides will add more regular walking citizens to the local streets of the city. The cool climate of the city coupled with roadside vegetation or arboriculture, provides relief while walking in different areas of Dehradun such as Rajpur Road, Forest Research Institute (FRI), Malsi, Survey of India Campus, Dalanwala, Vasant Vihar, Kewal Vihar, Inder Road, Clement Town and more.  The tree species found in Dehradun include Sal, Oak, Pine, Jamun, Eucalyptus, Ashok along with the Apple, Mango, Litchi, Citrus, Guava, Plum, and Peach Orchards encompassing the city.

Apart from being a major tourist attraction, Dehradun also boasts a rich cultural heritage, health, and wellness retreats with holistic healing practices such as Yoga and Ayurveda. The land use includes educational institutes, the Indian Military Academy, FRI, Survey of India, old and new markets, food and hangout places, serene natural sights, museums, and temples. With rapid urbanization, a rise in commercial activity, and land use changes, the green cover has depleted significantly in the last two decades, particularly after the city was declared the capital of Uttarakhand in 2000.

Roadside vegetation or landscape plays a vital role in enhancing the walking experience for pedestrians in urban areas, promoting walkability in cities. This holds true for tropical climate countries like India as well. Roadside vegetation adds aesthetic value to the area and is beneficial to pedestrians. Tree-lined walking paths create a visually appealing and inviting environment. Walking amidst nature and greenery promotes mental well-being, reduces stress levels, improves mood, enhances mental relaxation, reduces the risk of heat-related illnesses, and increases physical activity.

Additionally, roadside vegetation provides a natural barrier against the impact of vehicular emissions, improves air quality, and reduces heat absorbed by the pavement. Trees act as natural air purifiers, filtering pollutants and improving air quality. They also absorb carbon dioxide, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating the urban heat island effect. During summers, tree shade provides a natural canopy and reduces the heat island effect. Areas with dense green cover have shown a reduction in ambient temperature by providing a "cooling effect" that promotes the use of sidewalks.

Tree shade offers a visual cue to walkers, indicating the presence of a sidewalk or pedestrian pathway. This helps to delineate pedestrian spaces, preventing accidental encroachment into vehicular areas, and reducing the risk of pedestrian accidents.

By prioritizing and investing in roadside vegetation, Dehradun can create walkable and sustainable urban environment, encouraging more people to move from occasional walks to regular walking trips as an alternative form of transport. This will further promote fitness mobility in the city enhancing the physical health of its residents.

In Dehradun, several organizations are actively involved in promoting tree plantation and environmental conservation. One prominent organization is the Forest Research Institute (FRI), renowned for its research and development activities in the field of forestry and wildlife conservation. FRI conducts various tree plantation drives, awareness campaigns, and research programs to promote sustainable forest management and preserve biodiversity. Another notable organization is the Doon-based Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), which focuses on environmental education, afforestation, and conservation initiatives. HESCO collaborates with local communities, schools, and government agencies to organize tree plantation events, create green spaces, and raise awareness about the importance of preserving the fragile ecosystem of the Himalayan region. Additionally, non-governmental organizations like the People's Science Institute, Been There Doon That, and Uttarakhand Environmental Education Centre are also actively engaged in promoting tree plantation and environmental stewardship in Dehradun and the surrounding areas. These organizations play a crucial role in mobilizing community participation, conducting educational programs, and advocating sustainable practices to ensure a greener and healthier environment for the city and its inhabitants.

Civil Engineers across the world use the two terms, Roadside Vegetation and Roadside Arboriculture interchangeably. However, there is a slight difference between the two. Roadside vegetation refers to the general presence of plants, including trees, shrubs, grasses, and other types of vegetation, along the sides of roads. It encompasses a broader range of plant species and vegetation types that naturally occur or are intentionally planted in roadside areas. On the other hand, roadside arboriculture specifically focuses on the cultivation and management of trees along roadsides. It involves the selection, planting, and maintenance of trees in a manner that considers their growth requirements, health, and compatibility with the surrounding environment. Roadside arboriculture aims to maximize the benefits provided by trees, such as shade, air pollution reduction, noise reduction, and visual enhancement of the roadside landscape. Therefore, roadside vegetation encompasses all types of plants found alongside roads, while roadside arboriculture specifically focuses on the cultivation and care of trees in roadside environments. Both play important roles in enhancing the aesthetic appeal, ecological value, and functionality of roadside areas, but roadside arboriculture gives special attention to the specific management of trees in those areas.

The management of roadside sections in Indian cities typically falls under the jurisdiction of local municipal corporations or city administrations. However, it generally involves collaboration between multiple departments, such as the urban development department, public works department, horticulture department, and the respective municipal corporation's engineering division.

These departments are responsible for various aspects of roadside management, including road maintenance, street cleaning, tree plantation and maintenance, landscaping, traffic management, and ensuring the overall aesthetics and functionality of the roadside areas.

Furthermore, local authorities may collaborate with various stakeholders, such as community organizations, environmental groups, and citizens, to promote public participation in maintaining and enhancing the roadside areas. More individuals dedicated to roadside vegetation and having skilled expertise in botany are required to get into Indian urban municipal organizations to make our cities greener and more walkable. This is also an additional opportunity to create more jobs for youth. In other countries, a lot of private organizations and government organizations hire specialist people for their teams. Indian cities need more urban planners, landscape architects, arborists, environmental scientists, civil engineers, horticulturists, and community engagement specialists.

How often have we heard about people who work with the following designations?

· Roadside Vegetation Management Specialist

· State Roadside Vegetation Program Supervisor

· Roadside Vegetation Manager

· Roadside Vegetation Specialist

· State Roadside Environmental Engineer

· Roadside Vegetation Management Biologist

· Roadside Vegetation Coordinator

· Roadside Environmental, Vegetation, & Tree Plantings Manager

 These are just some examples picked up from LinkedIn to show the type of expertise employed by governments across the world to make their cities more walkable. Recently a senior member of Institute of Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), Bangalore conducted an online poll asking people to pick amongst “footpath” and “tree shade”. The question was aimed at assessing which one is more important to pedestrians for walking to be attractive on a local street. 62% people voted in favour of tree shade while the other 38% voted in favour of footpath.

This clearly indicates a preference for walking in the presence of tree shade over walking infrastructure alone. However, this does not mean that footpaths are less preferred. Footpaths are an essential element for a safe walking experience. The point being made is that walking under a tree shade can be a complete game changer, particularly in hot afternoons and summer days. While a footpath is the basic infrastructure needed, a tree shade can complement the experience and ease of walking.

Tree shade along walking routes provides numerous benefits, including protection from the sun's heat, increased walking comfort, improved pedestrian safety, health advantages, environmental benefits, enhanced aesthetics, and positive psychological effects. These reasons underline the importance of having tree shade for a more pleasant and sustainable walking experience.

Returning to Dehradun and why there is a strong belief in the city's potential to become an ambassador for sustainable mobility, the best part is that the city already has many green corridors and unorganized roadside vegetation. The existing roadside vegetation needs good maintenance and regular audits. The areas with low vegetation can also be supplemented through plantation drives and alternative strategies.

Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) can find ways to involve local NGOs, schools, and colleges in making Dehradun a sustainable mobility ambassador. If providing walkable infrastructure along with appropriate roadside vegetation becomes a priority for the city, it can work wonders in increasing its footprint, literally!

Furthermore, DMC can appoint student intern managers to create an inventory of the city, including the number of trees, tree species, and identifying areas with low vegetation. Educational institutions can be approached to convert these exercises into graded projects. The knowledge bank available with FRI (Forest Research Institute) can be an added advantage in this pursuit.

As for disciplinary punishments for minor offenses in schools and colleges, they can be redirected to sending the defaulter student to the DMC office. There, they can be assigned specific pre-identified low-vegetation spots to plant trees based on a punishment scale (e.g., 5-10-15-20 trees). This way, the harsh punishment will be avoided, and students will have the opportunity to connect with nature and develop a sense of responsibility towards the city and community. Several such innovative methods could be adopted to convert the hill city into a sustainable mobility paradise in an economical and community-engaging approach.

It is believed that a good brainstorming session among the city council, citizens, and the presence of youth can be leveraged to push and promote Dehradun as a sustainable mobility ambassador. Dehradun is already halfway there; all that is needed is a certain change in mindset and priority setting by the DMC.