Dear Readers

Of the many sad images etched in my memory, the most gruesome one turns my stomach each time it flashes by. Travelling to Gajraula in Uttar Pradesh, the earthly remains of a woman splattered on NH 24, barely covered with a sequined saree, raised despondency on how cheap life is in our country. Learning seems to elude us as globally, countries forge ahead in revamping transportation systems. For nearly 20 years, Sweden has been rethinking and rebuilding what began as the 1997 legislation for Vision Zero—a goal to achieve zero road accident deaths, where people are more valuable than cars and safety presides over efficiency. City streets were narrowed, speed limits were lowered and several other initiatives introduced that lowered Sweden’s road accident death rate dramatically to a mere three deaths per one lakh people annually, compared with an average of 18.9 per one lakh people in India (www.who.int, 2010). Speed is the greatest killer, yet it is a seemingly enviable attribute of every new vehicle launced—as if Indian cities offer humongous, pristine stretches of road where one can quip cars into a frenzied 120 kmph. Say you were cruising at a 30 kmph, upon impact the vehicle or pedestrian hit would have an 85 per cent chance of surviving. However, step it up to 65 kmph, the survival chances drops to a mere 5 per cent. Rising instances of road rage, risky overtaking and unregulated, non-motorised traffic all contribute to the chaos that presently exists. Apart from the negatives—accidents and pollution, the transport industry in reality drives India’s development. Presenting a balanced perspective and arguing in favour of multi-modal transport systems, this issue of G’nY is dedicated to making a stronger, technology and people friendly logistics base for the nation.

Happy Reading!