09 Apr 2020
COVID-19’s implications on Urban transportation demands
One of the major sectors hit by the nationwide lockdown due to COVID 19 is the transportation sector. From rickshaw pullers to airlines, all have been affected economically by the pandemic. India’s overall energy demand fell by 11% in March 2020.  The demand for passenger transport has been adversely hit as buses, flights, and trains […]

One of the major sectors hit by the nationwide lockdown due to COVID 19 is the transportation sector. From rickshaw pullers to airlines, all have been affected economically by the pandemic. India’s overall energy demand fell by 11% in March 2020. 

The demand for passenger transport has been adversely hit as buses, flights, and trains are excellent ways of spreading of infections.

The economic impact of the virus outbreak in the public transport and shared mobility sector (e.g. ride-hailing, ride-pooling, scooter-sharing) is most likely severe. 

For basic goods like grocery and milk, people have shifted to online delivery. Since February, the online food orders have dropped massively whereas online grocery orders are overflowing. It is yet to be seen whether these acquired habits of online grocery shopping will sustain after the pandemic passes.

All this has, of course, caused behavioral changes in people since the normal routine has been disrupted. 

To study the behavioral effects of COVID19 on urban transportation demand, TERI’s Centre for Sustainable Mobility is conducting a survey. 

The aim of the survey is to capture the impact of COVID19 pandemic on transportation demand related to work trips, market trips for groceries and usage of food delivery apps.

“The survey exercise aims to capture the behavioral impact of the pandemic on how people change their mobility options. One of the outcomes we expect is to see how the usage of public transport will be impacted and how people would prefer personal cars post Covid19,” said Sharif Qamar, Associate Fellow, Centre for Sustainable Mobility, TERI. 

He added, “Besides, it also aims to capture how people have been buying groceries and their preferences (prior to COVID), as well as how the current pandemic would lead to their purchase/travel demand.”

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