#TIL: Transportation v/s Mobility
By Chitra Rajpal
In the past decade, the concept of mobility has received fresh impetus from both the governments and citizens. With expanding landscapes and growing cities, mobility is looked upon as an essential human right. However, often times, transportation and mobility are interchangeably used to mean the same thing . While transportation and mobility are intricately linked to each other, they’re two completely different concepts.
Transportation is a verb which encapsulates the movement of goods or people. On the other hand, mobility is a noun which translates into the ability to move from one place to another. For example, when a person travels from Delhi to Mumbai, the very act of traveling would be regarded as transportation, while the access to, and the ability to commute easily, safely, and in a fast manner is regarded as mobility.
Over the past few years, the Government is actively working to enhance people’s mobility by improving transportation networks. Initiatives towards strengthening mobility is not anymore limited to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), but to other ministries as well.
For example, under the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) India scheme provides incentives on electric and hybrid vehicles to encourage green and sustainable mobility. With an aim to promote rapid adoption of EVs, the government has slashed taxes on its purchase.
Another example to cite is the Smart Cities Mission under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs where technology is envisaged to play a key role towards improving mobility for citizens. Under the Mission, States are deploying various smart solutions such as Intelligent Traffic Management System, Intelligent Transit management systems to enable citizens to commute from one place to another in a safe, affordable and efficient manner.
To put it in a line- without mobility, transportation will be meaningless. The differentiation between the two concepts is key in estimating the size and scope of the mobility economy in India.
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