Chennai: The Chennai corporation’s street design project has found favour globally after it was included in the final short list of 10 sustainable solutions in the running for the prestigious Sustainia Award.
What’s more, Chennaiites can help ensure that the corporation wins at least one of the two awards on offer in the challenge, by going online and voting for the corporation’s project on the Sustainia website.
The international awards, to be handed out at the COP 21 (2015 climate change conference) to be held in Paris this December, is given to a solution, technology or project with a significant potential to help build a more sustainable future. Chennai’s ‘Designing streets for walking and biking’ project, conceived with the help of ITDP and Chennai City Connect, was the finalist in the transportation category.
Nine other finalists from across the world, who have come up with compelling sustainability solutions in the energy, buildings, food, fashion, information technology, education, health, cities and resources categories, will battle it out with Chennai.
Speaking to DC, senior officials said that it was a matter of ‘satisfaction’ and ‘deep pride’. “The credit goes to the State government for the guidance we received and also to our staff. Our efforts in promoting the Non Motorised Transport (NMT) policy have been recognised,” said an official.
The best solution will be selected by a committee presided over by former California governor and Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and includes the former chairperson of the intergovernmental panel on climate change, Rajendra K Pachauri, among others.
Raj Cherubal of City Connect told DC that to shift the system’s focus to pedestrian safety was in itself an achievement. “After seven years of working along with different officials, we can conclude that the governing body has accepted that this is the way forward, especially with the rising numbers of road traffic deaths in the city year-on-year,” he said.
