Non-violent Prosperity of Indigenous Nations of the World: In the Historical Perspective

Economic prosperity in various indigenous societies of the world before the modern European industrial development was no less. Far more prosperity has been around for centuries in many nations and societies (than the unprecedented economic prosperity that is being attributed only to Europe) even before the 18th century in Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Congo, Male, Sudan, Nubia, India, China, Tibet, Japan, Mongolia, Mesopotamia, Sumer, Iran (Persia), Iraq, Turkey, Ottoman, Thailand, Indonesia, Java, Sumatra, Champa, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Korea, Vietnam, etc. 

Many of these countries have been much more advanced in technology than 19th century Europe — millennia ago. The facts about China are well known. Europeans learned many types of scientific techniques from China like gunpowder, printing, paper making method, map making, watch making, meteorology and irrigation system, seismology, anatomy etc. England learned the technology of steel making, smallpox vaccine, silver foil making methods etc. from India. The excellence of Maya, Aztec, Inca, Egypt, Sumer and Babylonia civilizations in astronomical calculations and architecture is world famous. Ghana had no match in gold reserves and prosperity. The richness of the Saraswat civilization of Harappa is well-known by now. 

Thus these diverse countries have been more or at least equally prosperous for centuries without any extra conceit and without adopting any craze for luxury as many countries of Europe and now the United States of America have been in the past 300 years. These countries did not show enmity towards nature. They did not barbarously exploit natural resources and produce consumer goods for monstrous consumption, in the name of technology.

The reason for this is not that the peaceful and non-violent societies did not have knowledge of technology. Or they did not have that skill and aptitude or did not have scientific vision and intellect. Rather they had a rich understanding of the rhythms of the universe, of truth and ever-changing reality (ऋत), of the universal-individual, the cycle of creation and the cycle of time. They were so assured by their traditional knowledge. In their vision, adopting the madness of looting all the resources in a short time, in the name of development, would be suicidal. They considered it a terrible injustice to our future generations and would be a sin from this point of view. This is the reason why these prosperous societies and nations, despite their advanced technology, restrained their consumption and their production. Whatever information remains today about the prosperity and lifestyle of these societies, it is proven that the prosperity in these societies was mainly associated with a non-violent lifestyle. The traditions of frugality in consumption and fulfillment of essential needs from the point of view of social harmony, have always kept these societies balanced and restrained. 

• Translated from ‘Prosperity can also be Non-Violent’ by Prof. Kusumlata Kedia and Prof Rameshwar Mishra ‘Pankaj’ Pg. 183-184

In the name of modern development, this book presents in detail the facts of destruction of many civilizations of the world by Europe and destruction of its environment and nature’s surroundings on the basis of European evidence and its philosophers, historians and sociologists in this matter. Keeping in front the views and facts propounded by

Presents the Indian non-violent vision as well as the new vision of life that has emerged through European and American scientists, especially New Science, in which the Gaya principle, considering the entire universe as a conscious biological entity and on the basis of which the principles of innovation of comprehensive universal values. has been brought to the fore, quoting them from the books of the scientists themselves and then presenting the fact of both philosophy and history of India, proves that although the history of more than 1000 years tells that only violent destruction and Prosperity has come to them only through loot and those societies have achieved prosperity only through loot of other societies but there is also a non-violent way of prosperity which is propounded in detail in Indian philosophy and Indian polity and Indian sociology and theology and By following them, it is possible to achieve prosperity in a non-violent way. Publisher of this book Samagra Prakashan, Mumbai.

The Climate Clock, Global Metacrisis & Intergenerational Injustice: Saving Our Children from Greed Selfishness and Apathy that is snatching away their future

To  

Capt Richa Sharma Katyal – The Principal  Salwan Public School, Mayur Vihar, New Delhi

Lt Gen Arun Shahni – Director General Indian National Association for The Club of Rome

Dr Ajay Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India

Prof Rishikesha T Krishnan – Director IIM Bangalore

Mr Graeme Maxton – Climate Change economist, former Secretary-General of Club of Rome, Author of Resetting Our Future: A Chicken Can’t Lay a Duck Egg: How Covid-19 can solve the climate crisis

Prof Mattias Desmet – Professor of Clinical Psychology at Ghent Univ. Belgium,  Author of The Psychology of Totalitarianism

Prof Rangan Banerjee – Director IIT Delhi

Mr Ashank Desai – Chairman Mastek 

Prof Shishir Jha – Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies IIT Bombay

Dr Vishal Massey- Chief Executive Officer / Secretary Indian National Association for The Club of Rome 

Friends in the International Relations community

From: Chandra Vikash – Convenor – Gaia Earth Sansad , Founder-Mentor MaaS Movement, Alumnus IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta

Monday 8 April 2024

Subject: The Climate Clock, Global Metacrisis & Intergenerational Injustice: Saving Our Children from Greed Selfishness and Apathy that is snatching away their future?

Dear Mme/Sir, 

Season’s Greetings!

I write this mail to all of you with earnest hope for timely collective action to stop what was unthinkable about the world in which we grew up, in the ’80s and ’90s. 

Our parents and their generation then, to the best of their abilities, protected us. Many, like my parents, made huge sacrifices in their lives for our education and the opportunity to grow up on a livable planet sustainably. Frugality, back then, at least in my part of the world, was a celebrated virtue. Simple living and high thinking was a powerful influence, from great souls. 

The same however, the Right to Life, is being snatched away from our youth and children, mercilessly. Somewhere down the line, in the years following economic liberalisation in India and the ‘dotcom’ boom in the late ’90s, Greed is God mantra began to take over. This set the agenda for Development fueled by shameless and callous hyper-consumerism and a diabolical disregard for ecology and social justice. In the first two decades of the 21st century, globalisation made deep roots, destroying the traditional value system alongside the marauding onslaught of what Dr S Jaishankar Hon. External Affairs Minister of India calls as ‘weaponisation of everything‘. In the past 4 years since the Covid Pandemic, this has rapidly devolved into a full blown global metacrisis, with ugly and murky wars in Ukraine and Palestine and flare ups in several other hotspots.

To the best of my understanding, this global metacrisis calls for us to lead the formation of a Civic Society led World Government within the next 2 months, by or before 5th of June, 2024. 

This ‘deadline’ is set as an Emergency Response to save our children’s future, even as for most people sleepwalking on the climate data, this might seem too ambitious and even impossible. The governments in India or elsewhere cannot do this on their own, because as this article points out, they are trapped, locked into and practically paralysed by the Destructive Global Competition without a CSWG to act on their own.

This was reconfirmed to me in my hour-long video conference with Lt Gen Arun Shahni, two days back, who shared how the Chinese side is bullying India to keep the national territory issue out of their bilateral discussions, and India must therefore further beef up its economic muscle. This is a surefire agenda for Mutually Assured Destruction through DGC intertwined with military warfare, compounding the Global Metacrisis. Lt Gen Shahni is Director-General of India chapter of Club of Rome. We discussed we should next meet with Padma Bhushan Mr S Ramadorai, who is its Chairman. 

I have known many of you for more than two decades and thanks to your moral support, I have survived and thrived to further grow in my conviction, to sail against the tide of selfishness, greed and apathy that was sweeping across the globe.

I write to all of you, with great hope, at a critical juncture for humanity as a whole.   

Hope, as Vaclav Havel, statesman and global visionary said and I quote, ‘is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” Havel has been one of my key inspirations for the World Government alongside Tagore, Einstein, Gandhi, HG Wells and Sadguru Sadafal Deo Ji Maharaj, founder of Vihangam Yoga who wrote Vishva Rajya Vidhan in 1952 (a vision and principles for world state).

My firm conviction for a Civic Society led World Government comes from a deep-dive understanding of a highly complex scenario based on a multi-disciplinary approach that this is the only way we can reset the Climate Clock to safety and sustainability. This has been bolstered over time from having practiced an ‘ultra-low carbon living’ since 1998 that I preach, with great support from my wife Alka, without whom, this would never be possible, with a family with 2 teenage daughters in a status conscious milieu in Delhi.

My long struggle and a strenuous schedule over past 15 years as a multi-disciplinary researcher, strategist and activist has taken a toll on her health (she is presently recovering from air pollution and stress-induced bone density deficiency) and my urgency for the mission also comes from the need to relieve her of the economic burden at the earliest. She presently runs the household with her earnings as a Music Teacher. Many would judge this as too harsh on my family but probably our collective sacrifices will not go in vain.

Magically enough, our two princess, who will be 21 and 16 this year, turned this adversity to their advantage and have been a great motivation to get through the rough and depressing times, when almost all seemed lost. 

I first tried this with the older IITs – IIT Kharagpur, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi most recently, IIM Calcutta, AIIMS Delhi but they are already deeply entrenched into the Destructive Global Competition just like the national governments and mainstream media. They cannot do it alone. We need to ‘catch them young’ in their formative years at the School stage.

Meeting with Capt Richa Sharma Katyal

I had the pleasure to meet Capt Richa  for the admission of my younger daughter Parnika Chandra for Class XI in Arts & Humanities. I am thankful to her that unlike some of the other schools in the area we visited, my daughter’s choice for Arts & Humanities was respected and the school did not try to sell her a complementary coaching package for the IITs and other such ‘Cash Courses’. 

These schools are woefully unaware of how the job placement market at IITs is crashing (with nearly one-third students not finding jobs) after their unplanned and mindless expansion has beaten the famed IIT system hollow and put them on a collapse course. My recent visits to IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi along with other sources confirm this. In my daughter’s case, at the Principal’s behest at Salwan, she now has the choice of studying Psychology and Mathematics, which was not in the regular choice list, as I recommended her. (Prof Mattias Desmet, who is recognized as the world’s leading expert on the theory of mass formation hypnosis as it applies to the COVID-19 pandemic, is a good example to follow.)

My elder daughter Akarshita Chandra, who studied Science for her Class XI-XII at the same school, wrote this widely appreciated poem Denial in August ’19, a scathing inditement of the intergenerational injustice. She is now studying B. Design in 3rd year at Delhi Technology University. In May that year, few months before, I made this presentation on behalf on the #FridaysForFuture climate campaign team in India, led globally by Greta Thunberg. 

Greta, who is 21 years now, a few months older than my daughter, can be seen in this recent picture from 6th April 2024 in The Netherlands, a telling commentary on how we treat our ‘outspoken’ youth who refuse to be muzzled, after such astounding progress of human civilisation. Many eminent scientists, philosophers and the last remaining humans are beginning to call out this f%&%ry in no uncertain terms.  

​
Just a day earlier, to my presentation on Greta’s story on May 16, 2019, this young girl, then 16, had proudly tweeted this pic: 

To that perhaps, her compatriot Akarshita, ends her poignant poem with these lines:

If you ask me, I will tell you
The human race is flawed
It can only see half of the world at a time
Philosophies well spun that revolve around threats

Conceal the threat itself
With a gratifying chime.

.

It is a cycle that goes on –
We take an intelligent step ahead
For mankind

Then take two back

In the interests of our

Selfish minds.

Perhaps, teachers, who teach children on good moral values, know better.

 The Climate Clock 

What also struck me about this school is that it is one of the few schools in Delhi NCR that has a Climate Clock. At the time of writing this email, this clock shows, effectively, how long can the planet we call Mother Earth sustain human life, at least for most people in the cities, where the school is located. 

​Source: https://climateclock.world/clocks

Fact check: Based on most recent climate data, we have already crossed 1.5 degrees for the past 9 months and at present, the 365-day running average is at 1.58 deg C above pre-industrial levels of 1850-1900. Unlike what the Climate Clock projects, even the 3-year running mean which is used as yardstick, will happen much earlier than 5 years. At the same time, countries are far from reaching global consensus to phase out fossil fuels. It has actually increased in the past 9 years since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Time is running out.

‘The science is clear: The 1.5-degree limit is only possible if we ultimately stop burning all fossil fuels. Not reduce. Not abate. Phase out – with a clear timeframe aligned with the Paris Agreement goal. The fossil fuel industry – the giant behind the climate crisis – is finally starting to wake up. But recent promises from several oil and gas industry members clearly fall short of what is needed. There must be no room for greenwashing.’

– Address by António Guterres Secretary-General of the United Nations on December 6, 2023 at the #COP28 of UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai.

I call out upon all of you for help. I would request Capt Richa Mme to convene a meeting with all the people addressed on this email. To build a shared understanding and chart out a plan of action, I would like to meet you at the earliest possibility to together save the future of our youth and children, as our solemn responsibility.

Best Regards,
Chandra Vikash
Convenor GAIA Earth Sansad
w: chandravikash.wordpress.com  
e: gaiasansad@gmail.com

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

There is the true joy of life; to be used by a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; to be thoroughly worn out before being thrown on the scrap heap; to be a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that life will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.

George Bernard Shaw

Reference:
1. Why We Need A Civic Society-led World Government?
2. Delhi World Government Conference 2024 – Concept Plan 1.0
3. Filling up vacuum of global governance to stop injustice with Palestine as Focal Point
4. Sleepwalking into catastrophe
5. Denial
6. Countdown to the Global Strike for Climate in May 2019

हमें नागरिक समाज के नेतृत्व वाली विश्व सरकार की आवश्यकता क्यों है?

सेवा में, 
केंद्रीय सचिव (उच्च शिक्षा)
भारत सरकार
नई दिल्ली, भारत

दिनांक : रविवार 03 मार्च 2024

विषय : भारत में उच्च शिक्षा संस्थानों के लिए चुनौतियाँ और अवसर और सभ्यता के पतन की बड़ी तस्वीर

प्रेषक: चंद्र विकास
आईआईटी खड़गपुर (बी.टेक 1993) आईआईएम कलकत्ता (एमबीए 1997)
संयोजक – गैया अर्थ संसद I संस्थापक-संरक्षक – एमएएस मूवमेंट कंपनी
दिल्ली राष्ट्रीय राजधानी क्षेत्र

प्रिय श्री संजय मूर्ति,
प्रिय आईआईटी और आईआईएम के प्रतिष्ठित निदेशक,
प्रिय राहुल दा,
प्रिय सभी,

अपने विचार साझा करने के लिए राहुल दा को धन्यवाद ( यहां पिछली पोस्ट के जवाब में )। एक गौरवान्वित और देशभक्त भारतीय, वैश्विक नागरिक और इंसान के रूप में, मैं अन्य सभी से आग्रह करूंगा कि वे अपनी सहमति या असहमति और उसके अनुसार अपनी कार्रवाई साझा करें। मैं उपरोक्त ग्राफ़ को शनिवार 02 मार्च 2024 से वैश्विक औसत तापमान विसंगति डेटा पर साझा करता हूं।

यह वैश्विक औद्योगिक सभ्यता के चल रहे पतन और सार्थक हस्तक्षेप की खिड़की तेजी से बंद होने के साथ बड़े पैमाने पर विलुप्त होने के कई अन्य संकेतकों में से एक है। 

हम यहाँ कैसे आए?

“अंधाधुंध खर्च करो! अत्यधिक तेज़ गति के साथ आगे! मर जाओ या जीतो! विकास की ओर अग्रसर! मुझे लगता है कि यह इस विश्वास को दर्शाता है कि यदि हम वर्तमान में बहुत अधिक समस्याएं पैदा करते हैं, तो भविष्य सीख लेगा कि इससे कैसे निपटना है।” अर्थशास्त्री और अमेरिकन इकोनॉमिक एसोसिएशन के पूर्व अध्यक्ष केनेथ बोल्डिंग ने इसे ‘दुस्साहस की नैतिकता’ कहा। इसके विपरीत विवेकपूर्ण आर्थिक नीति कहती है: “एक मिनट रुकें, लाभ और लागत दोनों देखने हैं। आइए दोनों का आकलन करें। हम सीधे चट्टान के ऊपर से खाई में कूदना नहीं चाहते। आइए लाभ-हानि पर नजर डालें। क्या इस निर्णय से हम बेहतर हो रहे हैं या बदतर?”

मुझे इस बात पर कोई आश्चर्य नहीं है कि भारत में कॉरपोरेट फैक्ट्रियों में ट्रकों में भरकर लाए गए ज़ोंबी (मूढ़) और पालतू भेड़ें आपके गोद में खेलेंगे। संदिग्ध अमेरिकी डॉलर के दम पर ‘अमेरिकन पागलपन’ दुनिया भर में फैल रहा है।

“स्वार्थी व्यवहार इनाम से प्रेरित और जन्मजात होते हैं, आदिम मस्तिष्क के अस्तित्व तंत्र में गहराई से जुड़े होते हैं, और जब लगातार प्रबलित होते हैं, तो वे धन, भोजन या शक्ति की लालसा के साथ लालच की ओर भागेंगे। दूसरी ओर, आत्म-संयम और दूसरों के प्रति सहानुभूति जो शारीरिक और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य को बढ़ावा देने में बहुत महत्वपूर्ण हैं, सीखे गए व्यवहार हैं – बड़े पैमाने पर नए मानव प्रांतस्था के कार्य और इस प्रकार सांस्कृतिक रूप से निर्भर हैं।

– पीटर व्हाईब्रो, एएम अप्रैल 2006

फिर भी, आप जिस बात की वकालत करते हैं वह तीन मामलों में आपराधिक उकसावे की बात है। एक, यह अंतरपीढ़ीगत धोखाधड़ी है। लागत आने वाली पीढ़ियों पर थोपी जाती है। दो, भारत जैसे बड़े अत्यधिक अधर्मी देश में – यह औसत का दोष है। तीन, वायु प्रदूषण, जल प्रदूषण, भूमि क्षरण, मनोवैज्ञानिक और आध्यात्मिक क्षरण सभी को ‘नकारात्मक बाह्यताओं’ के रूप में खारिज कर दिया जाता है।

(मैं इस नोट को  स्टार्टअप निवेशक ब्रेंडन रोजर्स द्वारा यहां साझा की गई एक लोकप्रिय राय के जवाब में साझा कर रहा हूं।)

वैचारिक स्पष्टता प्राप्त करना

जैसे-जैसे स्थिति बदलती है, अब हमें नागरिक समाज के नेतृत्व वाली विश्व सरकार के साथ एक ‘समानांतर संरचना’ की आवश्यकता है। SIMPOL के संस्थापक जॉन बंज़ल के पास  महान अंतर्दृष्टि है   जो   16 फरवरी को म्यूनिख सुरक्षा सम्मेलन में  एंटोनियो गुटेरेस ने जो कहा था और हरमन डेली ने  बहुत पहले जो साझा किया था, उससे मेल खाता है:

1. हमें एक विश्व सरकार की आवश्यकता है

आज, हमारे पास वैश्विक बाजार है लेकिन केवल राष्ट्रीय शासन है। इस “प्रशासन अंतर” को देखते हुए, यह आश्चर्य की बात नहीं है कि विनाशकारी वैश्विक प्रतिस्पर्धा किसी भी नियंत्रण से बाहर हो रही है और हम सभी को उस ग्रह को नष्ट करने के लिए प्रेरित कर रही है जिस पर हम निर्भर हैं। वैश्विक समस्याओं को हल करने में मुख्य बाधा यह है कि कोई भी सरकार पहले कदम नहीं उठा सकती या अकेले कार्य नहीं कर सकती क्योंकि ऐसा करने से उसकी राष्ट्रीय अर्थव्यवस्था अप्रतिस्पर्धी हो जाएगी, जिससे बेरोजगारी, पूंजी पलायन और आर्थिक गिरावट का खतरा होगा। जैसा कि ब्रिटेन के पूर्व प्रधान मंत्री टोनी ब्लेयर ने कहा था, “जलवायु परिवर्तन की राजनीति की कठोर वास्तविकता यह है कि कोई भी देश इस चुनौती से निपटने के लिए अपनी अर्थव्यवस्था का बलिदान देने को तैयार नहीं होगा।”

यह सभी वैश्विक समस्याओं के लिए सत्य है। वैश्वीकृत अर्थव्यवस्था में, ऐसा हमेशा रहेगा। इसलिए सरकारें “कैदी की दुविधा” में फंस गई हैं। ऐसा नहीं है कि वे वैश्विक समस्याओं का समाधान नहीं करना चाहते, लेकिन वे ऐसा नहीं कर सकते। वास्तव में, यही कारण है कि व्यापक आंदोलन ने बहुत कम हासिल किया है: क्योंकि यह उन लोगों से बदलाव की मांग करता है – यानी, सरकारें – जो इसे देने में असमर्थ हैं। इसकी जटिलता और पैमाने को देखते हुए, भारत में उच्च शिक्षा प्रणाली के पास विश्व सरकार के गठन का नेतृत्व करने की जिम्मेदारी और अवसर है, जिसकी शुरुआत वैश्विक शासन अध्ययन केंद्र की स्थापना से होगी  , जिसमें आईआईटी बॉम्बे में एडीसीपीएस और आईआईएम बैंगलोर में सीपीपी इसके नोडल होंगे। केन्द्रों. चूँकि समय समाप्त होता जा रहा है, इसके लिए आपातकालीन प्रतिक्रिया की आवश्यकता है। गैया अर्थ संसद, एक नागरिक-समाज पहल जिसे मैंने ग्लोबल एकेडमी फॉर इंडिजिनस एक्टिविज्म ( जीएआईए ) के साथ 5 साल पहले स्थापित किया था, 2006 से इस दिशा में काम कर रहा है। 

2. पदानुक्रम स्वाभाविक एवं आवश्यक हैं

हमारा मुख्य रूप से उत्तर-आधुनिक विश्वदृष्टिकोण जो सभी पदानुक्रमों और सभी मेटा-कथाओं, चैंपियन विकेंद्रीकरण, विविधता, नेतृत्वहीन गठबंधन, क्षैतिज नेटवर्क आदि को खारिज करता है। वैश्विक न्याय पहल के इस खंडित, क्षैतिज, असंगठित समूह के खिलाफ सेट, हमारे पास डीजीसी की एकल, व्यापक गतिशीलता है : एक वैश्विक, एकीकृत, सर्वव्यापी, ऊपर से नीचे, विनाशकारी, नियंत्रण से बाहर गतिशील। एक विकेन्द्रीकृत, गैर-पदानुक्रमित संरचना इसके विरुद्ध कभी सफल नहीं हो सकती। एकता और कुछ पदानुक्रम की आवश्यकता को स्वीकार किए बिना, हमारे पास नागरिक समाज के नेतृत्व वाली विश्व सरकार बनाने की बिल्कुल भी संभावना नहीं है।

इसलिए हमें यह समझने की आवश्यकता है कि पदानुक्रम स्वाभाविक और अपरिहार्य हैं। हालाँकि, चाल वास्तविक पदानुक्रमों (यानी, स्वस्थ वाले) और प्रभुत्व वाले पदानुक्रम (यानी, अस्वस्थ वाले) के बीच अंतर करना है। एक वैश्विक प्रभुत्ववादी पदानुक्रम होने के नाते, डीजीसी को केवल एक एकीकृत, वैश्विक यथार्थीकरण पदानुक्रम द्वारा दूर किया जा सकता है – अर्थात, विश्व स्तर पर समन्वित, सहकारी, नागरिक-संचालित वैश्विक शासन प्रक्रिया के कुछ रूप से जो राष्ट्र-राज्यों से परे और शामिल है: एक वास्तविक पदानुक्रम जो डालता है हम, नागरिक, ड्राइविंग सीट पर हैं, जो हमें राष्ट्रों को अपने शीर्ष पर एक विश्व सरकार के साथ वैश्विक पदानुक्रम पर सहमत होने के लिए प्रेरित करने में सक्षम बनाता है और पुनर्गठित प्रांतों, समुदाय-राज्यों और जमीनी स्तर के शासन संस्थानों को सहयोगात्मक रूप से वैश्विक समस्याओं को हल करने के लिए आवश्यक नीतियों को लागू करता है। . भारत अपने बहुलवादी समाज और समृद्ध विविधता के साथ, उच्च शिक्षा संस्थानों और अपने जीवंत नागरिक समाज के नेतृत्व में, विश्व सरकार के गठन में एक अनुकरणीय भूमिका निभाता है। 

3. सहायकता आंदोलन की एकता का निर्माण करती है

एक और चीज़ जो हम खो रहे हैं वह यह है कि पदानुक्रमों को साकार करने से जहाँ एकता की आवश्यकता होती है वहाँ एकता को बढ़ावा मिलता है और जहाँ इसकी आवश्यकता नहीं होती है वहाँ विविधता को बढ़ावा मिलता है। दुनिया में प्रत्येक सुसंगत इकाई को किसी न किसी प्रकार के शासन द्वारा एक साथ बांधा गया है, चाहे वह एक परमाणु हो, एक कोशिका हो, आपका शरीर हो, या एक राष्ट्र हो। शासन संरचनाएँ भी बहु-स्तरीय हैं, क्योंकि जैसे-जैसे समाज का विस्तार होता है, मौजूदा शासन संरचनाएँ अंततः सामना नहीं कर पाती हैं, इस प्रकार नई, उच्च-स्तरीय शासन संरचनाओं के निर्माण की आवश्यकता होती है। इन स्तरों के बीच परिचालन सिद्धांत सहायकता है: जिसे न्यूनतम संभव स्तर पर हल नहीं किया जा सकता है उसे अगले-उच्च स्तर तक ले जाया जाता है। यह एकता को बढ़ावा देता है जहां इसकी आवश्यकता है, जबकि स्वतंत्रता और विविधता के लिए जगह छोड़ता है जहां इसकी आवश्यकता नहीं है।
इस समग्र संदर्भ में, श्री मूर्ति से मेरी हार्दिक प्रार्थना है कि यथाशीघ्र एक असाधारण आपातकालीन बैठक बुलाई जाए।

साभार,

Chandra Vikash
Convenor
Gaia Earth Sansad
chandravikash.wordpress.com

संस्थापक-संरक्षक
मास मूवमेंट प्राइवेट लिमिटेड
www.maasmvmt.com

सिविक सोसायटी के नेतृत्व वाली विश्व सरकार क्यों और सिविल सोसायटी क्यों नहीं?

नागरिक नागरिकता  इस बात से संबंधित है कि लोग राज्य संस्थानों के साथ कैसे बातचीत करते हैं (मतदान करके या निर्वाचित कार्यालय के लिए दौड़कर, करों का भुगतान करके, या कानून के तहत अपने अधिकारों की पुष्टि करके), जबकि  नागरिक नागरिकता  इस बात पर ध्यान केंद्रित करती है कि लोग एक समुदाय के भीतर कैसे रहते हैं और बातचीत करते हैं, चाहे वह कोई भी हो पड़ोस, एक शहर, एक जातीय प्रवासी, या वैश्विक स्तर पर। नागरिक विश्वदृष्टिकोण में, राज्य समाज का एक अभिन्न अंग है और उससे अलग नहीं है, जैसा कि नागरिक विश्वदृष्टिकोण के मामले में है।

नागरिक नागरिकता हमेशा राष्ट्र से संबंधित होती है, लेकिन नागरिक नागरिकता राष्ट्रीय सीमाओं से परे पहुंच सकती है और वृहद स्तर, वैश्विक नागरिकता तक ज़ूम कर सकती है, या यह सूक्ष्म, हाइपर स्थानीय नागरिकता तक ज़ूम कर सकती है। 

यह संयोगवश वसुधैव कुटुंबकम या एक परिवार/गांव के रूप में विश्व का सच्चा आयात है,   जिसका अर्थ बड़े पैमाने पर विश्व के एक सूक्ष्म जगत के रूप में परिवार/गांव भी है।

Microcosm is Macrocosm. (Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande)

एलएसीई-गैया मॉडल  ज्ञान साझा करने के लिए वैश्विक मामलों में वैश्विक नागरिकता के साथ-साथ जलवायु और पारिस्थितिकी को ठीक करने और मरम्मत करने और स्थानीय स्तर पर हमारे दैनिक जीवन का प्रबंधन करने के लिए आपातकालीन प्रतिक्रिया के रूप में ‘कार्बन सिंक’ जीवन शैली के साथ हमारे दैनिक जीवन के लिए हाइपर-स्थानीय या जमीनी स्तर की नागरिकता दोनों को बढ़ावा देता है। जहां तक ​​संभव हो।

संदर्भ: 

1. स्थानीय ही भविष्य है @ ऑस्ट्रेलिया में सस्टेनेबल सिटीज़ कांग्रेस, नवंबर 2018

LOCAL IS THE FUTURE @ Sustainable Cities Congress in Australia

2. स्वस्थ, सामंजस्यपूर्ण और समग्र विश्व व्यवस्था और जीवन के स्वदेशी तरीकों की दिशा में एक बेहतर तरीका @ वर्ल्ड काउंसिल फॉर हेल्थ जनरल असेंबली मीटिंग #37 18 अप्रैल 2022 को

प्रस्तुति:  जीएआईए अर्थ संसद – एक बेहतर तरीका 

वीडियो कार्यवाही:  जीएआईए अर्थ संसद के चंद्र विकास के साथ एक स्वस्थ, सामंजस्यपूर्ण और समग्र विश्व का बेहतर तरीका

‘अब हम इस तथ्य का सामना कर रहे हैं कि कल आज है। हम अभी की भीषण तात्कालिकता का सामना कर रहे हैं। जीवन और इतिहास की इस उभरती पहेली में बहुत देर हो जाने जैसी बात भी है। विलंब अभी भी समय का चोर है. जीवन अक्सर हमें खोए हुए अवसर के साथ नग्न, नग्न और निराश खड़ा कर देता है। ‘मनुष्यों के मामलों में ज्वार’ बाढ़ पर नहीं रहता; यह उतरता है। हम उसके मार्ग में रुकने के लिए समय की बेताबी से दुहाई दे सकते हैं, लेकिन समय हर गुहार को अनसुना कर देता है और तेजी से आगे बढ़ता है। अनेक सभ्यताओं की प्रक्षालित हड्डियों और बिखरे हुए अवशेषों पर दयनीय शब्द लिखे हैं: ‘बहुत देर हो गई’।

– मार्टिन लूथर किंग

Delhi World Government Conference 2024 – Concept Plan 1.0

Delhi World Government Conference 2024

To be announced on Wed 3rd April 2024

New Delhi (hybrid – physical/virtual) 

Theme: 

Transcending Global Disorder to realise Vasudhaiv Kutumbukam 

Index

1. Agenda Note
2. Proposed Structure of Civic Society-led World Government
3. What is in it for the Central Government of India?
4. What is in it for the State Government of Delhi?
5. What is the urgency to organize in March 2024?
6. Who will participate?
7. What is the expected outcome?
8. Program Schedule

1. Agenda Note

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam
A Quantum Leap for Humanity 

Narrow-minded thinking of ‘this is mine’ and ‘that is not mine’ comes out of greed, apathy and selfishness entangled with ignorance, fear and insecurity. For past several centuries since the European Industrial Revolution with its predominant mechanistic and reductionist worldview to colonize the world through weaponization of trade and commerce, hoarding of material resources as ‘private property’ began to be celebrated widely, this narrow-mindedness seeped deep into the very fabric of modern culture and civilization. What used to be the ‘commons’ was now sold-off to private owners of fiat money as ‘sovereign’ states with a monopoly of organized violence and legitimacy in the present dysfunctional global order. These ‘sovereign’ states have been treacherously subjugated by a globalised financial cartel as their private armies. This is the nature of the global disorder today.

As we unpack this colorful and sassy patriotic brand of narrowmindedness, we can see thick toxic and murky discharge of ‘White Man’s Burden’ spilling out. This was disseminated through colonialist rape and plunder of indigenous societies worldwide that destroyed the relatively harmonious world order that had existed for thousands of years.

The wise and broad-minded, on the other hand, think of the world as a family, as the Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam depicts. Even if such broad-minded are few and far between due to the rabid globalization of Popular Errors created by the narrow-minded, they hold on to the Unpopular Truth that love, kindness, compassion and generosity, truth, frugality and honesty are truly human virtues and the key to our health, abundance and prosperity for all. 

This is the import of these verses from the Maha Upanishad, storehouse of the cosmopolitan indigenous wisdom, Verses 6.71–73: 

अयं बन्धुरयं नेति गणना लघुचेतसाम् । 

उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् ॥71II

भावाभावविनिर्मुक्तं जरामरणवर्जितम् । 

प्रशान्तकलनारभ्यं नीरागं पदमाश्रय ॥72II 

एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः स्वच्छा निष्कामा विगतामया । 

आदाय विहरन्नेवं सङ्कटेषु न मुह्यति ॥73II 

This is mine, that is not, say the small minded,

The wise believe that the entire world is a family (vasudhaiv kutumbakam).

Be unattached, Be magnanimous,
Lift up your mind, Enjoy the fruits of quantum freedom.

Dangerous ‘vacuum’ in the Global Hierarchy with the Collapse of the American Empire

Michael Brenner, Professor Emeritus of International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh and a Fellow of the Center for Transatlantic Relations at School of Advanced International Studies – Johns Hopkins is one among the few broad-minded people today. In a scathing indictment of ‘Western’ leaders, Prof Brenner writes on the West’s Reckoning in this article on 8 March 2024 here: 

“Western leaders are experiencing two stunning events: defeat in Ukraine, genocide in Palestine. The first is humiliating, the other shameful. Yet, they feel no humiliation or shame. Their actions show vividly that those sentiments are alien to them – unable to penetrate the entrenched barriers of dogma, arrogance and deep-seated insecurities. The last are personal as well as political. Therein lies a puzzle.  For, as a consequence, the West has set itself on a path of collective suicide. Moral suicide in Gaza; diplomatic suicide – the foundations laid in Europe, the Middle East and across Eurasia; economic suicide – the dollar-based global financial system jeopardized, Europe deindustrializing. It is not a pretty picture. Astoundingly, this self-destruction is occurring in the absence of any major trauma – external or internal. Therein lies another, related puzzle.

Some clues for these abnormalities are provided by their most recent responses as deteriorating conditions tighten the vise – on emotions, on prevailing policies, on domestic political worries, on ginger egos. Those responses fall under the category of panic behavior. Deep down, they are scared, fearful and agitated. Biden et al in Washington, Macron, Schulz, Sunak, Stoltenberg, von der Leyen. They lack the courage of their stated convictions or the courage to face reality squarely. The blunt truth is that they have contrived to get themselves, and their countries, in a quandary from which there is no escape conforming to their current self-defined interests and emotional engagement.  Hence, we observe an array of reactions that are feckless, grotesque and dangerous.”

The West, though is no longer a geographical pointer, but widespread among the factory educated, as I refer in this 2009 article here titled ‘The Derailment Of Western Civilization – Does It Need A Bail-Out?’ “Western civilization is no longer about geography – it’s a stereotype for greed, addiction and overt and covert forms of white-collar crime; or perhaps, of a debauched asylum, taken over by its inmates. This doesn’t need no BAIL-OUT. That’s a serious misdiagnosis of the real problem. It needs REHABILITATION.”

Prof Brenner writes in a 2017 article here: “Psychosis can stem from trauma and acute stress. In the American case, our traumatic event was 9/11. The ensuing terror psychosis is well into its second decade. It shows no signs of ameliorating – even though there have been no serious attacks against the United States over the past 13 years.”

Dominique de Villepin, former French Prime Minister, warns the world of the incumbent French premier Emmannuel Macron’s utterly irresponsible rhetoric on sending NATO ground troops to Ukraine and the extreme danger behind his and some other NATO leaders’ attempt to escalate the conflict into a full fledged World War:  

“For this debate [over sending ground troops] to have been useful, it would have first been necessary for us to be able to answer 5 questions. Five risks associated with this escalation, this step we would be taking if we were to send ground troops, send fighters. Five risks.

The first is the expansion of the conflict. If we send ground troops, do we know if on the Russian side others will send, on the other side, ground troops? Will we face African fighters, will we face Asian fighters, will we face Middle Eastern fighters in this global south that also wants to take on the West?”

The balance of power in the chaotic multipolar world is already undergoing a megashift. Economist James K. Galbraith, professor at the University of Texas at Austin explains why the Western sanctions on Russia backfired, and why they were never going to succeed in the first place..

“This is a situation in which the sanctions were imposed by one important sector of the world economy which then cut itself off from resources that it needs – and that’s particularly true of Western Europe – in return for cutting Russia off from various things that Russia doesn’t really need.”

“If you go back to the period before the introduction of the sanctions […] the Russian economy was very heavily colonized by Western firms. That was true in automobiles, it was true in aircrafts, it was true in everything from fast food restaurants to big box stores. Western firms were present all throughout the Russian economy. A great many of them […] either chose to exit Russia or were pressured to exit Russia after early 2022. So on what terms did they leave? Well, they were required, if they were leaving permanently, to sell their capital equipment, their factories and so forth, to let’s say a Russian business which would get a loan from Russian banks or maybe have other sources of financing, at a very favorable price for the Russians. 

So effectively a lot of capital wealth, which was partly owned by the West, has been transferred to Russian ownership. And you now have an economy which is moving forward and has the advantage compared to Europe of relatively low resource costs because Russia is a great producer of resources, oil and gas and fertilizer and food stuff and so forth. And so while the Europeans are paying maybe twice in Germany what they were paying for energy, the Russians are not, they’re paying perhaps less than they were paying before the war. So again I characterize the effect of the sanctions, in fact as being in certain respects a gift to the Russian economy. And this is, I think, quite different from what the authors of the sanctions expected. […] And the essence of the situation is this would not have happened without the sanctions. 

You could have had the war, and it would have gone pretty much as it has gone. But the Russian government in 2022 was in no position to force the exit of Western firms. It didn’t want to, wouldn’t have done that. It was in no position to force its oligarchs to choose between Russia and the West. It didn’t wish to do that. These choices were imposed by the West, and the results were actually, in many respects, favorable to the long-term independent development of the Russian Federation’s economy.” 

A close scrutiny of influential expert opinion even from America sees the emergence of Russia as a widely respected great power that not only survived the collapse of Soviet Union after the protracted 40-year Cold War phase of the continuing Second World War where the belligerent occupier colonialist state of America is finally seen as imploding under the massive weight of its own contradictions. The 2024 US elections, if it manages to survive by then, will mark the final nail in its coffin. 

How did we get here? 

“Hang the cost! Full speed ahead! Death or victory right now! Forward into growth! I guess that shows a faith that if we create too many problems in the present, the future will learn how to deal with it.” Kenneth Boulding, economist and former president of the American Economic Association called it ‘heroic ethic’. The economic ethic OTOH says: “Wait a minute, there’s benefits and costs. Let’s weigh the two. We don’t want to charge right over the cliff. Let’s look at the margin. Are we getting better off or worse?”

“Selfish behaviors are reward driven and innate, wired deeply into the survival mechanisms of the primitive brain, and when consistently reinforced, they will run away to greed, with its associated craving for money, food, or power. On the other hand, the self restraint and the empathy for others that are so important in fostering physical and mental health are learned behaviors – largely functions of the new human cortex and thus culturally dependent.” – Peter Whybrow, 

Peter C. Whybrow is former Director of the Neuropsychiatric Institute at UCLA. In American Mania: When More is Not Enough (2006), he grounds the extraordinary achievements and excessive consumption of the American nation in an understanding of the biology of the brain’s reward system offering for the first time a comprehensive and physical explanation for the addictive mania of consumerism. He offers a bold analysis of the cultural disease that afflicts us all. American Mania presents a clear and novel vantage point from which to understand the most pressing social issues of our time, while offering an informed approach to refocusing our pursuit of happiness.

Despite an astonishing appetite for life, more and more Americans and by contagion, people around the world caught in the rat race, are feeling overworked and dissatisfied. In the world’s most affluent nation, epidemic rates of stress, anxiety, depression, obesity, and time urgency are now grudgingly accepted as part of everyday existence; they signal the American Dream gone awry. ‘American Mania’ is sweeping across the globe powered by the dubious US dollar on various counts. 

One, there is intergenerational fraud. Costs are passed on to coming generations. Two, in a large highly iniquitous country like India – this is Flaw of Averages. Three, air pollution, water pollution, land degradation, psychological and spiritual degradation are all brushed aside as ‘negative externalities’.

In the concluding  passage of the final chapter on Meditation in his book 21 Lessons for 21st Century, popular author Yuval Noah Harari shares his experiences of a Vipassana meditation course and regular practice since, on advice of his good friend who suggested that he should put aside all the books and intellectual discussions for a few days.

‘Self-observation has never been easy, but it might get harder with time. As history unfolded, humans created more and more complex stories about themselves, which made it increasingly difficult to know who we really are. ..As technology improved..it became easier to delude people. In the near future, algorithms will make it well-near impossible for people to observe the reality about themselves. It will be algorithms that will decide for us who we are and what we should know about ourselves.

For a few more years or decades, we still have a choice. If we make the effort (to mediate), we can still investigate who we really are. But if we want to make use of this opportunity, we had better do it now.’

This echoes what philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin says in a recent article, ‘Faced with the polycrisis humanity is going through, the first resistance is that of the spirit’. With an increasing number of wars, climate change and the rise of authoritarian regimes, the world may be heading for disaster, but we must resist hatred, argues the sociologist and philosopher as he writes:

“Prodigious technological and scientific progress in all areas is the cause of the worst regressions of our century. ..Though difficult to conceive, we must realize that the progress of knowledge, through the multiplication and mutual separation of disciplines, has caused a regression of thought, which in fact has become blind. Linked to a dominance of calculation in an increasingly technocratic world, the progress of knowledge is unable to conceive the complexity of reality, especially human realities. This leads to a return of dogmatisms and fanaticisms, as well as a crisis of morality with the unleashing of hatreds and idolatries.”

Greed, apathy and selfishness, pull us down to protect the nation-states as a vulgar projection of ego where nationalism is used deviously not only to treat others as outsiders and enemies, overtly or covertly, both outside the national boundaries but also to suppress sub-national resistance, in the neo-progressive worldview. They subversively engage in what Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General in his recent speech at the Munich Security Conference on 16 February 2024 calls out as ‘aggressive opportunism’ and ‘miscalculations’ with ‘no accountability’.  The existing global order, he says, is not working for anyone.

“Our world is facing existential challenges, but the global community is more fragmented and divided than at any time during the past 75 years.

Multipolarity has created important opportunities for balance and justice, and for new leadership on the global stage.

But the transition to multipolarity without strong global institutions can create chaos.

When power relations are vague, the dangers of aggressive opportunism and miscalculation grow.

Today we see countries doing whatever they like, with no accountability.

Impunity seems to be the name of the game and so we must all be determined to establish the primacy of the rule of law.

As the Munich Security Report makes clear, relative gains through competition between countries are being prioritized over absolute gains for all through cooperation.

Crises are multiplying, linked to competition and impunity.

A global order that works for everyone must address these gaps and provide solutions.”

Proposed Structure of World Government

As the tide turns, we now need a ‘parallel structure’ with a civic society-led world government.

This must begin with the setting up of the Centre of Global Governance Studies in every higher education institution in India with a centrally-coordinated and integrated Design & Policy Research Program on diverse topics through collaborative teams of users, industry, media, civic society and government. 

This is  an Emergency Response to develop a symbiotic relationship between academia, industry and government bodies. We can together find meaningful solutions for the country and humanity at large in a world which as our Hon. External Affairs Minister says, the very nature of our existence is globalized, and lead policymaking to drive change where the competitive aggression and impunity of the unbridled nation-states and a hapless United Nations poses a grave threat to humanity and snuffs out the prospects of any future for our children and coming generations.

Conventional notions of sovereignty and the nation-state in international relations and international law need to be revisited in light of the stark indictment of the current global order shared by Hon. Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres at the Munich Security Conference on 16 February 2024. 

This comes at a time when a mountain of evidence is pointing to the need for a new global order to address what have been called ‘super wicked’ problems characterized by four additional features – they need emergency response, they need a central authority, they need decision makers who do not have vested interests and they need whole systems design and visionary leadership for farsighted solutions. 

John Bunzl, founder of SIMPOL, has great insights  that echoes with what António Guterres said on 16 Feb at Munich Security Conference and what Harman Daly had shared since long back:

1. We need a World Government. Today, we have a global market but only national governance. Given this “governance gap,” it is not surprising that Destructive Global Competition is running out of any control and continues to drive us all to destroy the planet on which we depend. The main barrier to solving global problems is that no government can move first or act alone because doing so would make its national economy uncompetitive, risking unemployment, capital flight, and economic decline. As former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said, “The blunt reality of the politics of climate change is that no country will be willing to sacrifice its economy in order to address this challenge.”1 This remains true for all global problems. In a globalized economy, it will always be so. Governments are therefore caught in a “Prisoner’s Dilemma.” It’s not that they don’t want to solve global problems, but that they can’t. That, indeed, is why the wider movement has achieved little: because it demands change from those—i.e., governments—who are incapable of delivering it. Given its complexity and scale, the higher education system in India has a responsibility and opportunity to lead the formation of a world government, starting with setting up of Centre of Global Governance Studies. As time is running out this needs an Emergency Response. Gaia Earth Sansad, a civic-society initiative that I founded 5 years back along with Global Academy for Indigenous Activism (GAIA) has been working in this direction since 2006. 

2. Hierarchies are natural and necessary: Our predominantly postmodern worldview that rejects all hierarchies and all meta-narratives, champions decentralization, diversity, leaderless coalitions, horizontal networks, etc. Set against this fragmented, horizontal, uncoordinated mass of global justice initiatives, we have the single, overarching dynamic of DGC: a global, unified, all-pervading, top-down, destructive, out-of-control dynamic. A decentralized, non-hierarchical structure can never succeed against this. Without acknowledging the need for unity and some hierarchy, we have absolutely no chance of forming a civic society-led world government.  

We need therefore to understand that hierarchies are natural and indispensable. The trick, however, is to distinguish between actualizing hierarchies (i.e., healthy ones) and dominator hierarchies (i.e., unhealthy ones). Being a global dominator hierarchy, DGC can only be overcome by a unified, global actualizing hierarchy—that is, by some form of globally coordinated, cooperative, citizen-driven global governance process that transcends and includes nation-states: an actualizing hierarchy that puts us, citizens, in the driving seat, rendering us capable of driving nations to agree to a global hierarchy with a world government at its apex and the reconstituted provinces, community-states and grassroots governance institutions, cooperatively implement the necessary policies to solve global problems. India with its pluralistic society and rich diversity, led by the higher education institutions and its vibrant civic society, plays an exemplary role in the formation of the world government. 

3. Subsidiarity builds movement unity. Another thing we are missing is that actualizing hierarchies promote unity where it is needed and diversity where it is not. Every coherent entity in the world is held together by some form of governance, whether it be an atom, a cell, your body, or a nation. Governance structures are also multi-level because, as societies expand, existing governance structures eventually can’t cope, thus necessitating the creation of new, higher-level governance structures. The operating principle between these levels is subsidiarity: what cannot be solved at the lowest possible level is taken up to the next-higher level. This promotes unity where it is needed, while leaving space for independence and diversity where it is not.

Proposed by:

Chandra Vikash
B.Tech. IIT Kharagpur
MBA IIM Calcutta
Convenor GAIA Earth Sansad
m: +91 8851556732
w: chandravikash.wordpress.com 
e: gaiasansad@gmail.com 

2. What is in it for the world democracy of ~8 billion people and for humanity at large?

1. Peace and harmony based on truth and transparency, justice and equity, sustainability and prosperity for all including our youth, children and coming generations
2. End of theocratic states. Religion will no longer, overtly or covertly, be the basis of nationalism or identity of any province or community-state in the proposed global order of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam. Culture will follow the indigenous way of life based on geo-climatic conditions. Religion must be universal and individual must be free to choose their faith and belief system in a spiritual way.

3. What is in it for the Central Government of India?

1. India, as the world’s most populous country, a vibrant democracy with its pluralistic and welcoming culture, and immense Soft Power is best placed to host the World Government.
2. Forming a World Government is an opportunity to abolish the undemocratic and offensive structure of the United Nations Security Council with Permanent Seats and Veto powers. 
3. This will help resolve the border issues with belligerent and offensive neighbors such as Pakistan, China and others.
4. Wasteful and inappropriate expenditure on military-industrial-media complex and Destructive Global Competition will be now channelised in constructive projects and to heal and restore ecological wealth.  
5. It will further bolster global respect for India and fulfill its long pending obligations to the Non-Aligned Movement, to the Global South, BRICS, Quad and other alliances and treaties that India is part of. 
6. India will have the opportunity to create and steer a new global financial architecture with a new global currency.
7. There will be opportunity for national leaders to grow and rise in the new global order.
8. In the new global order, there will be opportunity to reform critical sectors of education and healthcare, energy and mobility services, as well as focus on cultural and spiritual upliftment enhancing the overall quality of life.

3. What is in it for the State Government of Delhi?

1. Delhi emerges as the global hub and grows as a world city. 
2. As World Capital Region and one of the 80 provinces, Delhi will have all the administrative powers.
3. Delhi has an extensive metro rail and bus service network. This will be adequately utilized and augmented with state-of-art Mobility-as-a-Service. 
4. With a global mandate that will check and reverse the Destructive Global Competition, there will be greater scope to address various other civic problems – mitigate water crisis and air pollution, create localized food supply, create zero-to-landfill waste to wealth and overall localized abundance and circular economy with LACE-Gaia Model.

4. What is in it for the other State Governments in the Indian Union?

1. With ~1.4 billion population, India will have 14 provinces. With greater regional and local autonomy, there will be 14 Heads of Provinces and 700 Heads of Community-States.
2. This will fulfill the common cause of collaborative federalism as 14 Provinces in India among 80 provinces worldwide. 
3. This will be a great opportunity to even out regional disparities and restore ecology. 

5. What is the urgency to organize in April-May-June 2024?

1. As shared in the agenda note, the world is in acute turmoil and needs an Emergency Response to mitigate the global metacrisis and a variety of super wicked problems. 
2. As the global system further breaks down, the recovery will become even more difficult and will drive panic and drastic measures such as blocking out the sun which can have devastating effects on Earth ecosystems.

Annexure: The Question of Indigenous 

Are you indigenous or non-indigenous? Why does this question stump so many and often draw a blank and bewildered response?

The ‘non-indigenous’ barbarity disguised itself as a new kind of Civilisation and with passage of time, packaged as the ‘realist’ world order. Through several generations of subjugation and conditioning, it has rubbed off on the newly acquired subjects and slaves of the colonizers, infusing them with a ‘slave morality’. (The whiteness of racism incidentally was an afterthought to ‘divide and rule’ the colored slaves from the white skinned ones.) 

Rest is history of the past few centuries, or at least the dominant view, taught in most of the textbooks in schools and colleges in most parts of the world that are even today mired in the shadows of neo-colonialism under different nomenclatures from the neo-conservative and the neo-liberals.

This narrow-mindedness of materialistic corpulence has bloated the new ‘standards of living’ way beyond actual human needs even for the most healthy and vibrant lifestyles. It has grown monstrously in the aftermath of the yet inconclusive Second World War. Here is what actually happened.

Instead of a defeat of the Axis of Evil of Nazi and their Zionist allies as is claimed and the victory of Allied Powers – mainly America, Britain, France and USSR, this War did not actually end. With America as its mastermind, the war morphed its form and became more treacherous and deceptive with a pervasive ‘weaponization of everything’. Both the Nazis and Zionists escaped and were rehabilitated in the occupier, settler-colonialist state of the United States of America. The diabolical tactics of the American state and its agencies such as the CIA, Federal Reserve Bank, propaganda machine bear a distinctive blueprint of the Nazis and the Zionists. They were joined along with similar narrow-minded but powerful elites from many other parts of the world as ‘human shields’ to hide its nefarious agenda, similar to how Israel was ‘settled’ in the 20th century. “The US is more than a protector of Israel. It is now an accomplice in its genocidal attack on the Palestinian people of Gaza,” Jeffrey D. Sachs, a professor and director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, wrote and published on Common Dreams in December 2023.

The conceptual arrangements of this treachery and deception of this One World against Many Worlds is much older though, and is coded into the very inception of America, after the genocide of 60-70 million people in the erstwhile Turtle Islands. Earlier called the United Colonies of America, USA is founded on the now repudiated Doctrine of Discovery and is the precursor to the cliched phrase used more often in the context of the Middle East – ‘A land without a people for a people without a land’. The liberal and lucrative scholarships, jobs and venture funding handed out to the ravaged and/or ravenous refugees from various Third World countries, apart from being ‘human shields’ double up as smokescreens to hide the skeletons in the cupboards and the mountainous heaps of bones of the livestocks of the native peoples who they killed and captured their land.

This ‘classical’, ‘realist’ and increasingly perceived as ‘practical’ narrow-mindedness added tinges of balancing ‘liberalism’ with the passage of time. It became vulgarly advertised in the new impetus on GDP growth as the key yardstick of the new mammonic religion of Development. It was now legally protected, programmed into the government machinery of even the newly de-colonised ‘independent’ countries; socially sanctioned as ‘upward mobility’ and incessantly fed into young minds since early childhood through factory education. Over time, this mechanistic and reductionist worldview has created  conflicts that entangle into a vicious cesspool of trauma and violence, scarcity, deprivation and debauchery. 

This is where we are largely today, at the rock bottom of human degradation, teetering at the brink of extinction. Only a few among those who are ‘factory educated’ manage to escape and survive to hold the mirror even when such notions of progress become a Popular Error. 

“There is the true joy of life; to be used by a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; to be thoroughly worn out before being thrown on the scrap heap; to be a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that life will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”

George Barnard Shaw

And finally..

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

References:

1. A Better Way towards healthy, harmonious and holistic world order & indigenous ways of life @ World Council for Health General Assembly Meeting #37 on 18 April 2022

Presentation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1CouqCK2iwHHZdKv3AZBrMoJsY2z5hckQIIWtrGyaSuY/edit?usp=sharing 

Video Proceedings: https://worldcouncilforhealth.org/multimedia/better-way-chandra-vikash-gaia-earth-sansad/

2. An Introduction to ‘One World for Many Worlds’

An Introduction to ‘One World for Many Worlds’

3. Filling up vacuum of global governance to stop injustice with Palestine as Focal Point

https://www.counterview.in/2023/11/filling-up-vacuum-of-global-governance.html

4. Gaia Nation: Reclaiming the Indigenous as the Soul of Humanity

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2022/05/gaia-nation-reclaiming-the-indigenous-as-the-soul-of-humanity

5. Curtain Raiser for GAIA Earth Sansad based on LACE-GAIA Model https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ffKI45o5zasA_YlKI8zI0NQsIBxtep0DeIJncbawYzY/edit?usp=sharing

6. ‘The Progress of Knowledge Has Led to a Regression of Thought’ By Edgar Morin https://footnotes2plato.com/2024/02/03/the-progress-of-knowledge-has-led-to-a-regression-of-thought-by-edgar-morin/

7. UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks on 16 February 2024 to the Munich Security Conference: Growing the Pie: A Global Order that works for Everyone
https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/speeches/2024-02-16/secretary-generals-remarks-the-munich-security-conference-growing-the-pie-global-order-works-for-everyone%C2%A0 

8. Large-Scale Frameworks, Small-Scale Solutions by David Bollier August 2019 https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/global-local-bollier

9. Global Identity Is Real by Andreas Bummel August 2019 https://greattransition.org/gti-forum/global-local-bummel

Why We Need A Civic Society-led World Government?

To 
The  Union Secretary (Higher Education)
Government of India
New Delhi, INDIA

Date: Sunday 03 March 2024

Subject: Challenges & Opportunities for Higher Education Institutions in India and the Bigger Picture of Civilizational Collapse

From : Chandra Vikash
IIT Kharagpur (B.Tech 1993) I IIM Calcutta (MBA 1997)
Convenor – Gaia Earth Sansad I Founder-Mentor – MaaS Movement Co.
Delhi National Capital Region

Dear Shri Sanjay Murthy,
Dear Distinguished Directors of IITs and IIMs,
Dear Rahul da,
Dear All,

Thank you Rahul da for sharing your thoughts (in response to the earlier post here ). As a proud and patriotic Indian, global citizen and human being, I would urge all others to share their agreement or disagreement and our course of action accordingly. I share the above graph on global average temperature anomaly data from Sat 02 March 2024.

This is just one of the indicators among several others of the ongoing collapse of the global industrial civilisation and mass extinction with the window for meaningful intervention closing fast. 

How did we get here?

“Hang the cost! Full speed ahead! Death or victory right now! Forward into growth! I guess that shows a faith that if we create too many problems in the present, the future will learn how to deal with it.” Kenneth Boulding, economist and former president of the American Economic Association called it ‘heroic ethic’. The economic ethic OTOH says: “Wait a minute, there’s benefits and costs. Let’s weigh the two. We don’t want to charge right over the cliff. Let’s look at the margin. Are we getting better off or worse?”

I am not surprised that zombies and sheeples, belched out by truckloads in the corporate factories in India will lap you up. ‘American Mania’ is sweeping across the globe powered by the dubious US dollar.

“Selfish behaviors are reward driven and innate, wired deeply into the survival mechanisms of the primitive brain, and when consistently reinforced, they will run away to greed, with its associated craving for money, food, or power. On the other hand, the self restraint and the empathy for others that are so important in fostering physical and mental health are learned behaviors – largely functions of the new human cortex and thus culturally dependent.”

– Peter Whybrow, AM April 2006

Yet, what you advocate is criminal abetment on 3 counts. One, this is intergenerational fraud. Costs are passed on to coming generations. Two, in a large highly iniquitous country like India – this is Flaw of Averages. Three, air pollution, water pollution, land degradation, psychological and spiritual degradation are all brushed aside as ‘negative externalities’.

(I share this note in response to a popular opinion shared here By Startup Investor Brendan Rogers.)

Getting the Conceptual Clarity

As the tide turns, we now need a ‘parallel structure’ with a civic society-led world government. John Bunzl, founder of SIMPOL, has great insights  that echoes with what António Guterres said on 16 Feb at Munich Security Conference and what Harman Daly had shared since long back:

1. We need a World Government

Today, we have a global market but only national governance. Given this “governance gap,” it is not surprising that Destructive Global Competition is running out of any control and continues to drive us all to destroy the planet on which we depend. The main barrier to solving global problems is that no government can move first or act alone because doing so would make its national economy uncompetitive, risking unemployment, capital flight, and economic decline. As former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair said, “The blunt reality of the politics of climate change is that no country will be willing to sacrifice its economy in order to address this challenge.”

This remains true for all global problems. In a globalized economy, it will always be so. Governments are therefore caught in a “Prisoner’s Dilemma.” It’s not that they don’t want to solve global problems, but that they can’t. That, indeed, is why the wider movement has achieved little: because it demands change from those—i.e., governments—who are incapable of delivering it. Given its complexity and scale, the higher education system in India has a responsibility and opportunity to lead the formation of a world government, starting with setting up of Centre of Global Governance Studies, with ADCPS at IIT Bombay and CPP at IIM Bangalore as its nodal centres. As time is running out this needs an Emergency Response. Gaia Earth Sansad, a civic-society initiative that I founded 5 years back along with Global Academy for Indigenous Activism (GAIA) has been working in this direction since 2006. 

2. Hierarchies are natural and necessary

Our predominantly postmodern worldview that rejects all hierarchies and all meta-narratives, champions decentralization, diversity, leaderless coalitions, horizontal networks, etc. Set against this fragmented, horizontal, uncoordinated mass of global justice initiatives, we have the single, overarching dynamic of DGC: a global, unified, all-pervading, top-down, destructive, out-of-control dynamic. A decentralized, non-hierarchical structure can never succeed against this. Without acknowledging the need for unity and some hierarchy, we have absolutely no chance of forming a civic society-led world government.

We need therefore to understand that hierarchies are natural and indispensable. The trick, however, is to distinguish between actualizing hierarchies (i.e., healthy ones) and dominator hierarchies (i.e., unhealthy ones). Being a global dominator hierarchy, DGC can only be overcome by a unified, global actualizing hierarchy—that is, by some form of globally coordinated, cooperative, citizen-driven global governance process that transcends and includes nation-states: an actualizing hierarchy that puts us, citizens, in the driving seat, rendering us capable of driving nations to agree to a global hierarchy with a world government at its apex and the reconstituted provinces, community-states and grassroots governance institutions, cooperatively implement the necessary policies to solve global problems. India with its pluralistic society and rich diversity, led by the higher education institutions and its vibrant civic society, plays an exemplary role in the formation of the world government. 

3. Subsidiarity builds movement unity

Another thing we are missing is that actualizing hierarchies promote unity where it is needed and diversity where it is not. Every coherent entity in the world is held together by some form of governance, whether it be an atom, a cell, your body, or a nation. Governance structures are also multi-level because, as societies expand, existing governance structures eventually can’t cope, thus necessitating the creation of new, higher-level governance structures. The operating principle between these levels is subsidiarity: what cannot be solved at the lowest possible level is taken up to the next-higher level. This promotes unity where it is needed, while leaving space for independence and diversity where it is not.
In this overall context, it is my earnest plea to Shri Murthy to convene an Extraordinary Emergency Meeting at the earliest possibility.

Best regards,

Chandra Vikash
Convenor
Gaia Earth Sansad
chandravikash.wordpress.com

Founder-Mentor
MaaS Movement Pvt Ltd
www.maasmvmt.com

Why Civic Society-led World Government and not Civil Society?

Civil citizenship pertains to how people interact with state institutions (by voting or running for elected office, paying taxes, or having their rights affirmed under law), whereas Civic citizenship tends to focus on how people live and interact within a community, be it a neighbourhood, a city, an ethnic diaspora, or at a global level. In the Civic worldview, state is an integral part of the society and not separate from it, as in the case of Civil worldview.

Civil citizenship is always related to the nation, but Civic citizenship can reach beyond national borders and zoom out to macro level, global citizenship, or it can zoom in to micro, hyper local citizenship. 

This incidentally is the true import of Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam or World as a Family/Village which also means Family/Village as a microcosm of the World at large.

Microcosm is Macrocosm. (Yatha Pinde Tatha Brahmande)

LACE-Gaia model promotes both global citizenship in global affairs for knowledge sharing as well as hyper-local or grassroots citizenship for our daily lives with ‘carbon sink’ lifestyles as Emergency Response to heal and repair climate and ecology and to manage our daily lives locally as far as possible.

Reference: 

1. LOCAL IS THE FUTURE @ Sustainable Cities Congress in Australia, Nov 2018

LOCAL IS THE FUTURE @ Sustainable Cities Congress in Australia

2.  A Better Way towards healthy, harmonious and holistic world order & indigenous ways of life @ World Council for Health General Assembly Meeting #37 on 18 April 2022

Presentation: GAIA Earth Sansad – A Better Way 

Video Proceedings: A Better Way to a Healthy, Harmonious, & Holistic World with Chandra Vikash of GAIA Earth Sansad

‘We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity. The ‘tide in the affairs of men’ does not remain at the flood; it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: ‘Too late’.

– Martin Luther King

Dedicated to the Service of which Nation? – Letter by IIT alumnus Rahul Banerjee to IIT System

From: Rahul Banerjee rahul.indauri@gmail.com

PhD in Environmental Planning And Management from CEPT University
Distinguished Alumnus Awardee of IIT Kharagpur
Social Activist and Development Practitioner

Date: Thu 29 Feb, 2024, 11:29

Subject: Re: Extraordinary Emergency Meeting at 4pm on Tue 27 Feb ’24 at IIT Bombay Director Office: Challenges & Opportunities for IIT Bombay (contd)

Dear Chandra Vikash,

Thank you for your mail. Our Alma Mater, IIT Kharagpur, had the tagline – “Dedicated to the Service of the Nation”. However, the question is which nation because India is a highly inequitous one.

The latest data from the Income Tax department shows that there are only 20 million people with annual incomes above Rs 5 lakhs and 75 million with annual incomes above Rs 2.5 lakhs. Assuming that each of these tax return filers represents one household and that each household has 5 members it means that the proportion of households with annual income above Rs five lakhs is 10020/1400/5= 7.8% and the proportion of households with income above Rs 2.5 lakhs is 10075/1400/5= 26.8%. Actually quite a few households among these are double income ones and so these proportions are likely to be less.

Thus, we can conservatively conclude, 75% of households in this country are surviving on an income of Rs 685 per day or less or a per capita income of Rs 137 per day or less. This is a very sad state of affairs and it is this vast underprivileged section of the nation that the IITs need to prioritise in their service. Unfortunately, this is not happening currently because in their rush to compete with the universities of the West in cutting edge technologies, the IITs are paying minimal attention to the technologies needed not only for those living on the edge of survival but for the survival of humanity as a whole, seriously threatened as we are by climate change.

These survival edge technologies are simple and time tested – communitarian ecosystem restoration, sustainable agriculture, distributed generation of renewable energy through biogas, solar, wind and gasification of agri and forest biomass, water harvesting and recharge and used water treatment and restoration. The crucial factor in all these is the conscious participation of the community, both men and women equally, in accordance with the subsidiarity principle, which states that work that can be done at the local level should be planned and implemented by the community and not directed remotely by centralised authorities.

Rahul’s story recently featured in Episode 4 of Love Storiyaan on Amazon Prime

There are many organisations in the non profit sector which are doing this with aplomb including ours but the IITs have little connect with them. While most of these organisations are poorly funded and so are operating at a minimal level, the IITs comparatively have more funds. My interactions with IIT academics have revealed that the funds they have are inadequate to pursue research in cutting edge technologies as compared to universities in the west but since survival edge technologies need much less funds, they can gainfully work on these and produce results that will not only benefit the nation but the whole of humanity by effectively combating climate change.
Chandra Vikash has made many efforts to get the IITs and other institutions including our Alma Mater IIT Kharagpur to work on his circular economy and grassroots governance model but with little success. I hope this latest attempt of his to bring IIT Bombay on board for implementing his circular and down to earth LACE-GAIA model will meet with more success.

Regards
Rahul Banerjee
PhD in Environmental Planning And Management from CEPT University
Distinguished Alumnus Awardee of IIT Kharagpur
Social Activist and Development Practitioner

https://www.rahulbanerjeeactivist.in

Addressed to: To: Chandra Vikash I GAIA Earth Sansad gaiasansad@gmail.com
Cc: director@iitb.ac.in, secy.dhe@nic.in, nv.vargh@gmail.com, Director director@iitkgp.ac.in, director@iitm.ac.in, director@iitk.ac.in, director@admin.iitd.ac.in, pro@iitb.ac.in, Office Dean Academic dean.ap.office@iitb.ac.in, dean.ap@iitb.ac, Shishir K. Jha skjha@iitb.ac.in, Soumen Chakrabarti soumen@cse.iitb.ac.in, Anirudha Joshi head.idc@iitb.ac.in, truptimishra@iitb.ac.in, Supratik Chakraborty supratik@cse.iitb.ac.in, sbagnihotri@iitb.ac.in, Prof. B.K. Chakravarthy chakku@iitb.ac.in, N C Narayanan ncn@iitb.ac.in, sharmamachineries@gmail.com, altbach@bc.edu

Challenges & Opportunities for IIT Bombay amidst Ongoing Collapse of IIT System, of other Eminent Higher Education Institutions in India and the Bigger Picture of Civilizational Collapse

To 
Prof Subhasis Chaudhari
The Director
IIT Bombay

From: Chandra Vikash
IIT Kharagpur (B.Tech 1993) I IIM Calcutta (MBA 1997)
Convenor – Gaia Earth Sansad I Founder-Mentor – MaaS Movement Co.
Delhi National Capital Region

Date: Tuesday 27 February 2024

Subject: Challenges & Opportunities for IIT Bombay amidst Ongoing Collapse of IIT System, of other Eminent Higher Education Institutions in India and the Bigger Picture of Civilizational Collapse

Dear Prof Chaudhari,

It was nice to meet you briefly y’day amidst your extremely busy schedule, as you shared. This incidentally is symptomatic of the ongoing collapse of IIT Bombay, just as for every other higher education institution which has been forced into mindless, unplanned expansion in past decade. 

“Without question, the Indian Institutes of Technology, or the IITs, are the crown jewels of Indian higher education. They are world-renowned for the quality of their graduates and for their academic programs in a range of fields in technology and engineering — and in the past decade, in research and innovation through research parks as well. They are among the few Indian higher education institutions that do reasonably well in the global rankings. However, for the past decade or so, and according to current plans, the IIT “system” has expanded beyond its capacity to maintain its high standards and is in danger of sinking into mediocrity. The recent decision of the University Grants Commission to permit select IITs under the ‘Institutions of Eminence’ category to set up campuses abroad could further weaken these already stretched institutions. It is time to rethink the changing role and mandate of IITs in order to ensure that quality and focus are maintained — and by prioritising the needs of India, but with a 21st century twist.” 

The IITs are overcommitted, in crisis The IIT system is in serious trouble at the same time that some of the IITs are building campuses abroad as part of India’s soft power efforts November 04, 2023

Too many IITs, unrealistic expectations It is time to rethink the changing role and the mandate of the IITs in order to ensure that quality and focus continue

I had a chance meeting y’day and again today morning with the author of the above report from July 2021, Prof Philip Altbach (Research Professor and Distinguished Fellow, Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, US) who is here on the IIT Bombay campus with Prof NV Varghese on the deeper simplicity underlying this global crises.

Market pressures coupled with unbridled greed, apathy and selfishness have turned the Higher Education System globally including IIT Bombay from being Head of the Global System to its Tail. 

These institutions, despite the checks and balances, have unambiguously become a debauched marketplace to justify vested interests, lies and hoaxes through peer-reviewed research on one hand and a glorified Employment Exchange to effectively subjugate ‘free’ sovereign nation-states back into being subjects and slaves of neoliberal colonialism what amounts to an Economic, Informational and Psychological Warfare. This has been described by Hon. EAM Dr S Jaishankar as ‘Weaponisation of Everything’ in a lecture at IIM Calcutta on 2nd November 2022. They have thus become anti-national forces, trojan horses and traitors in the national contexts.

Agenda Note

Challenges faced by IIT System & Opportunities for Mitigation and Adaptation based on a Master Solution Framework for ‘Super Wicked Problems’

Challenges:

Expansion Strain: The increase from 5 to 23 IITs raises concerns about maintaining quality standards. Especially, newer IITs in smaller towns struggle with infrastructure and academic excellence.

Faculty Shortages: For example, IIT Dhanbad has filled only 301 out of 781 approved faculty positions, indicating a widespread issue across the institutions.

Infrastructure Challenges: Newer IITs lack world-class facilities, affecting their ability to provide top-tier education and research.

Isolation from Local Communities: IITs, primarily academic-focused, have limited engagement with their local regions, missing out on community collaboration.

Struggle to Attract Global Talent: While IITs are selective and prestigious, attracting international students and faculty remains a challenge. This is crucial for global recognition and collaboration.

Balancing National and Global Roles: As IITs expand globally, there’s a challenge in balancing their foundational role of serving the national interest with the new global outlook, particularly in setting up campuses abroad. 

Opportunities for Mitigation and Adaptation based on a Master Solution Framework for ‘Super Wicked Problems’

Interdisciplinary collaboration on a master solution framework called LACE-Gaia Model (Localised Abundance & Circular Economy in a global framework of Gaia global federation of community-states)  solves a variety of super wicked problems such as degeneration of higher education system due to unregulated market pressures which is inextricably linked to a variety of other ‘super wicked’ problems of land degradation, climate change, water pollution and depletion, air pollution, farming crisis. Many of these problems have local challenges that should ideally be resolved locally.

The Bigger Picture

However, as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shared a week back at the Munich Security Conference, in a global atmosphere of aggressive competition, miscalculations and impunity of nation-states and the intertwined state of supply chains, trade and finance architecture,  they need a global framework for the local implementation to be robust and resilient. I share an overview here on this link here: 

This needs interdisciplinary design and policy collaboration as well as support from higher levels of authority within IIT Bombay for its interdisciplinary nature, complexity and size. After a fruitful meeting with the Centre for Policy Studies this morning, we have requested a meeting with the IITB Director in this regard. 

The challenges are great and at once daunting to many. Philosopher and sociologist Edgar Morin puts it in a nutshell here.
“a global paradox inherent to humanity. Prodigious technological and scientific progress in all areas is the cause of the worst regressions of our century. It enabled the scientific organization of the Auschwitz extermination camp; it made possible the design and manufacture of the most destructive weapons, including the first atomic bomb; it makes wars increasingly deadly; driven by the thirst for profit, it has created the planetary ecological crisis.

Though difficult to conceive, we must realize that the progress of knowledge, through the multiplication and mutual separation of disciplines, has caused a regression of thought, which in fact has become blind. Linked to a dominance of calculation in an increasingly technocratic world, the progress of knowledge is unable to conceive the complexity of reality, especially human realities. This leads to a return of dogmatisms and fanaticisms, as well as a crisis of morality with the unleashing of hatreds and idolatries.”

The Curious Case of Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Bombay – Microcosm is Macrocosm

I was drawn to explore how IIT Bombay, as one of India’s premier higher education institutions and hub for interdisciplinary studies by the CPS mission and founding ideas here:
“To encourage a sustained dialogue between academia and other policy stakeholders in order to promote evidence informed and inclusive policy making and analysis; and create capacity for policy studies in the country.”

“IIT Bombay has a strong tradition of interdisciplinary research—an approach at the heart of Policy Studies. Along with its core strength in traditional science and engineering disciplines, IIT Bombay has a fully integrated Humanities and Social Science Department, a business school (SJMSOM), and a number of interdisciplinary centres such as one for design (IDC), and one for the study of technology alternatives for rural areas (CTARA). The Ashank Desai Centre for Policy Studies aims to collaborate with and contribute to these various disciplines, borrowing their strengths and offering policy expertise.”

I was especially inspired by this note from Prof Shishir Jha at CPS here:

Given such uncertainties surrounding the policy space, the Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Bombay has begun its journey in real earnest. With five post doctoral fellows, thirty doctoral students and eleven masters students on board in the last three years; and with several new faculty eager to join us, there is a palpable sense of dynamism and joie de vivre coursing through it. The Centre is keen to collaborate with institutions and organizations that are fellow travellers on this journey of curious engagement with a rapidly changing world. There is much to learn from our mutual perspectives and experiences that shape the direction of our collective and eventful lives.

—
Best Regards,
Chandra Vikash
Convenor 
GAIA Earth Sansad
w: chandravikash.wordpress.com  
e: gaiasansad@gmail.com

Date: Tue, Feb 27, 2024

Subject: Extraordinary Emergency Meeting at 4pm on Tue 27 Feb ’24 at IIT Bombay Director Office: Challenges & Opportunities for IIT Bombay (contd)

To: Director IIT Bombay <director@iitb.ac.in>, <secy.dhe@nic.in>, <nv.vargh@gmail.com>, <director@iitkgp.ac.in>, <director@iitm.ac.in>, <director@iitk.ac.in>, <director@admin.iitd.ac.in>, <pro@iitb.ac.in>, Office Dean Academic <dean.ap.office@iitb.ac.in>, <dean.ap@iitb.ac>, <altbach@bc.edu>

Cc: Shishir K. Jha <skjha@iitb.ac.in>, Soumen Chakrabarti <soumen@cse.iitb.ac.in>, Anirudha Joshi <head.idc@iitb.ac.in>, <truptimishra@iitb.ac.in>, Supratik Chakraborty <supratik@cse.iitb.ac.in>, <sbagnihotri@iitb.ac.in>, Prof. B.K. Chakravarthy <chakku@iitb.ac.in>, N C Narayanan <ncn@iitb.ac.in>, sharmamachineries@gmail.com <sharmamachineries@gmail.com>

Declassified MobiltyXS (MaaS Movement) : The Untold Story on the biggest invention from India in recent history

---

Chandra Vikash <chandra.vikash@gmail.com> Aug 8, 2006
To: sudhakarr@mastek.com, jyoti.srivastava@tcs.com, phil.jeanes@paconsulting.com, subash@me.iitb.ac.in, dr_subash@yahoo.com, john.m.dowson@uk.ibm.com, gpmaxton@autopolis.com, jwormald@autopolis.com, jack.opiola@hyderconsulting.com, ic@catling.com, David_KM_CHEW@stratechsystems.com, s.ramadorai@tcs.com, Tanmoy.Chakrabarty@tcs.com, hannah.goodman@uk-tcs.com, simon.stephen@uk-tcs.com, Tim.Giles@uk-tcs.com, as.lakshmi@uk-tcs.com, opagar@nic.in, pablo@aimsun.com, amit.nagar@uk-tcs.com, sid@csic.iisc.ernet.in, srinivasan2k@nic.in, leena@teri.res.in, Nimish.Desai@ssaglobal.com, sandeep.jain@tcs.com, sklohia65@gmail.com, sanjay_prakash@vsnl.com, rakeshverma@mappls.com, achawla42@hotmail.com, msgnanam@gmail.com, abhi0830@gmail.comCc: skahuja13@yahoo.co.in, ihazra@hindustantimes.com, ravish@ndtv.com, alokp@ndtv.com
Dear All, This mail acknowledges your valuable feedback, contribution and support at various stages of development of MobilityXS – a sustainable transport system model based on a new paradigm that is unarguably one of the key responses to save the human civilization from the gravest crisis in its history – primarily fueled by peak oil and manmade climate change – and made graver by a “cottage industry” of oil, coal and automobile lobbies, politicians, media and a few scientists – who have so far colluded to confuse the public, playing on the common tendency to disbelieve “inconvenient truths”.The broader objective of the MobilityXS system are as follows: a) to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% over the next 10 years b) to reduce fuel consumption by 50% over the next 10 years and c) very importantly, to provide significantly positive trade-off for users to migrate from the existing system to the MobilityXS transport system and to smoothen the transition. ( for details on MobilityXS, pl. find attached patent filing for the system) Starting at a time when evidence for many of these assumptions – primarily peak oil and climate change – was very thin, I had to persist with development of this framework and recently to pilot this model in India, in face of severe financial and social adversity, has been in the right direction. As many amongst you, Phil, John, Graeme, Jack, Ian, Prof. Babu, Dr. Leena would acknowledge, many of its underlying assumptions have stood the test of time. Here is the untold story that holds important clues why my incessant efforts to market and develop the MobilityXS system in the UK and in India have failed so far. I shall request for your earnest response to testify the following case summaries and your interest to renew association with the plan for a world-wide roll out of the MobilityXS model over the next 10 years beginning with UK, California and India in the first phase. It is also copied for reference to media agencies who have shown keen interest in the MobilityXS model and particularly the efforts on the pilot project in Gurgaon, a suburb in the Delhi National Capital Region. LET THE TRUTH BE OUT  Case 1. MobilityXS model for Edinburgh Congestion Charging Scheme requirement Reference: Phil, Ian, John, Lakshmi, Amit, Tim. The Edinburgh Congestion Charging Scheme as envisaged by TIE did lose the referendum 2:1 losing about 8 million pounds in trying to “force” its case. Phil did offer your support to my proposal for a TCS bid (based on the MobilityXS model) as the design authority partner. ( Refer Annexure IA). John and Ian showed keen interest to partner and/or support.b. However, given the “subservient” business model of TCS (in spite of the fact that I was specially hired for my specialisation in the domain and experience of having worked on the London Congestion Charging Scheme) and the dubious role of the TCS UK office, they rejected the proposal. You may like to know what really transpired at TCS.c. Tim Giles and Jim Odell at TCS UK office instead chose to be sub-contract to Serco and claimed an agreement for TCS to be their exclusive partner for the project. Instead, Serco short listed two other IT cos. – Wipro and Birlasoft – and gave TCS the short shrift. In the aftermath of the referendum being defeated, as I had precisely anticipated and proposed the alternative solution. ( Refer Annexure IB)d. Tim later lied about the whole episode. (Refer Annexure IC) He together with Hannah Goodman at the UK office set the ground against me that I was adamant on the MobilityXS model and to make stinging accusations which clearly had racist overtones, as Amit Nagar later testified was her usual habit. Case 2. MobilityXS model for London Congestion Charging Scheme (Modification, Extension of the charging area in London, Develop model for “copy” to other cities Reference: Sudhakar, Simon (Mr. Simon Pilling – currently Joint COO and Executive Director) a. Mastek was a sub-contract to Capita for the IT solution for LCC scheme. I joined Mastek at a stage when it had already won the sub-contract deal. As the Practice Head for Intelligent Transport System my remit was to set up business based on my domain knowledge and the LCC collateral. As per the joining agreement I would receive 1-2% ( further negotiation was due) of the revenue generated from the MobilityXS based business.b. As I was just settling down as a new entrant to the Mastek team and the company not doing well otherwise, there was tremendous pressure for “quick wins”. Within a month of joining, I was within a month posted in UK to study the LCC in further detail and to develop a roadmap for modification ( to finesse what was alleged to be a “blunt instrument”, created boundary problems, and rode on a dubious 90% discount to inner residents) , extension of the charging area in London, develop model for “copy” to other cities in UK and other markets, particularly US.c. My findings about LCC clearly indicated that though the scheme does make a remarkable difference to the traffic congestion problem in London and had tremendous symbolic importance as the first successful attempt for road usage charging in a major Western city ( even though Singapore had already implemented a highly effective system earlier and so did Oslo and tolling on special road sections, bridges etc. has been a practice). Two earlier highly publicised attempts in The Netherlands – the last one called MobiMiles promoted by an influential Dutch IT entrepreneur Roel Pieper – had failed.   In 2001, he conducted a study requested by minister Tineke Netelenbos for setting up a system for road pricing. The Economist in Dec.1997 called the prevalent road tax system as “the last relic of the soviet era” in an article titled “Tolled you So”. LCC was indeed a major breakthrough.d. Yet, there was no case for replicating its “carbon copies” as Capita has been pushing so hard for. To be acceptable, one, the cost incurred for the road user charging system must be spread over various other activity heads towards a high level of variabilization of other costs – insurance, parking, road wear and tear etc..  Two, road pricing needed to evolve to what economist Randall Pozdena calls the “gold standard” –  ubiquitous, efficient pricing – c ost-based, varies by load, vehicle type, facility, distance traveled. I communicated my findings internally and developed a proposal based on these findings.e. In normal circumstances, I would have waited for the euphoria post-LCC launch in Feb. 2003 to ebb out before I presented a new proposal. Yet, with undue pressure from Mastek management – Sudhakar, Gopinath, Tapan Bose, Rajshekhar – for “a quick win”, as Sudhakar would testify, and my visit was hidden from Capita, I was looking for an opportunity at the earliest possible.f. This opportunity came in the form of coference on lessons of  LCC scheme for other cities in UK and other markets in April 2003. I shared my concerns with the forum that the LCC scheme was good only as an interim arrangement and that there was no case for its “carbon copies” for other cities, further to a question from a media person. I also sought an appointment with Simon to present the new proposal based on the MobilityXS framework.g. What I received instead was an e-mail from Sudhakar asking me “to return by the next flight” based on the complaint made by Simon to the tune that I was spoiling its business case. Sudhakar and Simon will testify about what actually happened. h. I WAS TO BE PROVEN RIGHT. SIMON AND SUDHAKAR WERE WRONG. THEY CAUSED ME FINANCIAL LOSS AND EMOTIONAL DISTRESS. THEY NEVER APOLOGISED FOR IT AND COMPENSATED FOR THE FINANCIAL LOSS. i. As referred to in Case 2, ECC was the big test. (I was now with TCS in the same role after Mastek abruptly decided to close its transport practice, transfer back the IPR to me or to take up another role in the company. j. Capita in collusion with TIE pushed for a “carbon copy” with a campaign that is estimated at 8 million GBP. It was summarily defeated in a public referendum 2:1 and has already been rejected in most other cities in UK – notably Bristol and Birmingham – and outside in New York This view is echoed by the recent statements from Transport for London board vice- chairman Dave wetzel : ” For a city like New York, if they were minded to use congestion charging, it needs to be part of a total package. It needs to be their own package. They need to consult with the people, not just once but several times.” (Source: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=475821 ) . MobilityXS offers this total package that can be customised for each Region – Region defined as an area where significant majority – > 95% – of road trips begin and end.k Neither Mastek nor TCS acknowledged my business acumen and tremedous courage and character to defy the odds that I was working against – an Indian developing a solution for the UK market that the market wanted but the British contractor – Simon Pilling – or British employees – Tim Giles and Hannah Goodman – were the villains who prevented me to take it to the market. My Indian bosses – Jyoti, Tanmoy, Lakshmi – only played second fiddle to them. The only support I got was from Amit Nagar – the BDM for Transport practice in UK. But we were small fries. TCS’ colonial mindset blinded them to the truth or to cover it up. Jyoti, Tanmoy, Lakshmi, Amit – pl. testify what the truth is. Case 3: Lorry Road User Charging Scheme for UK Reference: Jyoti, Lakshmi, Tim, Hannah, Amita. A second opportunity to test the MobilityXS based solution in UK came in the form of the LRUC Scheme. TCS lost 900K pounds on this project to develop a prototype for Capita ( by some co-incidence) for the later’s bid. As per the arrangement, Capita would pay 100K GBP for the prototype in case it lost the bid. If it won, there was a dangling booty of about GBP 150 million to be won for TCS. In spite of my strong advice as the domain expert and business responsibility for ITS related business to partner with IBM or PA Consulting on the MobilityXS solution framework, TCS UK office chose to go with Capita.b. Capita through Tim Giles extracted work worth 10 times the contracted amount. In July 2005, when the project was scrapped by the British Parliament, TCS had incuured a loss of 900,000 ponds on this project. Jim Odell the UK public sector practice head was shown the door but Tim and Hannah are still there to best of my knowledge. c. In scrapping the LRUC scheme, Alistair Darling, the british transport minister spelt out a vision that echoes Pozdena’s “gold standard” for road usage charging for whole of UK by 2015. A pump priming fund of 18 million GBP was set up as Transport Innovation Fund to develop solutions and to pilot new concepts in UK. This was the golden opportunity I had been waiting for. d. Learn how best to kill an invention from TCS (Kind Attn: Mr. Ramadorai) One, My bosses denied resources to develop a prototype for MobilityXS model and to carry out a field study, unless the business case is established i.e. proof of sufficient interest from prospective customers.Two, The TCS UK office demands that it will foot the bill for collecting prospective customer feedback only when sufficient field studies have been done.e. This denied the opportunity to develop a prototype of the MobilityXS solution for UK using the Transport Innovation Fund. I quit TCS in December 2005 to start TEN Systems and retain the MobilityXS IPR as per prior declaration to the legal department and TCS’ non-acceptance of a commercial proposal to transfer MobilityXS IPR. To be contd. ( in following mail) – Case Summary on efforts to pilot MobilityXS in Gurgaon, Delhi NCR   as well as responses of concerned ministries in Govt. of India) The case for world-wide implementation of MobilityXS system is ever stronger today with stronger evidence on peak oil and climate change and the severity of these crises to necessitate a paradigm shift ( which in succeeding releases, scientists claim that is still undermined), and the continuing menace of traffic congestion, accidents, localised pollution, poor accessibility and rising transport cost – posed by limits to road space, landfill, water and other natural resources, pressures on time, public health and safety.We also have thawing of the political frigidity, by and large, over peak oil and global warming and concerns whether policy makers will act on the much awaited changes as follows to unquirk the gross distortions in transportation-energy markets worldwide : i) to eliminate overt and covert subsidies to private vehicle ownership and usage ( factor in ecological costs ) andii) to variabilise transportation costs – such as road usage, emission charges, insurance, parking – so that “every trip counts”. Recent developments signal key changes in the political acceptance of peak oil and global warming.1. Blair-Schawrznegger commitment to act on global warming, 2. Response to Al Gore’s take on global warming (even though many of his prescriptions to tackle global warming are still unclear)3. Reverend Pat Robertson’s recent conversion to global warming after feeling the recent heat wave4. Skeptics of both peak oil and global warming are increasingly getting cornered or exposed for their hidden motivations.Yet, further development and implementation of a sustainable transport system worldwide calls for a collective response to a “collective problem”.Alone, we can tie a few knots,Together, we can weave a seamless future.Regards, Chandra Vikash Chief Executive Officer TEN Systems & Services Pvt.Ltd Phone 1: +91 124 2360799 Phone 2: +91 9891699595 Email 1: chandra.vikash@mobilityxs.com Email 2: chandra.vikash@gmail.com   Annexure I A – Transcripts Phil Jeanes <Phil.Jeanes@paconsulting.com>01/07/2004 04:46 PMTo”‘Chandra Vikash'” Chandra_Vikash@delhi.tcs.co.in>cc”amit.nagar” <Amit_Nagar@delhi.tcs.co.in>, JAYANT.KRISHNA@uk-tcs.com, Simon Smith < Simon.Smith@paconsulting.com>SubjectRE:  Edinburgh Congestion Charging contract opportunity Dear Chandra and Colleagues, Apologies for not replying sooner, I’m afraid Christmas and New Year has intervened.  However, to give the New Year a good start, let’s get things moving . . . We have decided not “front” a submission to TIE at this stage, so if you are still considering a submission (with others, I assume), I believe we would considerably strengthen your position in the eyes of TIE.  We have good contacts with those involved in Edinburgh (as well as London).   We understand that they seek greater flexibility than is possible with a purely camera based system and that is one of the reasons they seek a competitive design study in Stage 1. We believe that PA providing a Design Authority/Assurance and acceptance role within the consortium would be favourably viewed by the evaluation tobe performed on the submissions. Should this be of interest, we can provide you with suitable material for the submission, and I will be in London tomorrow able to discuss further details. With my best regards Phil Jeanes —–Original Message—– From: Chandra Vikash [mailto:Chandra_Vikash@delhi.tcs.co.in] Sent: 22 December 2003 12:47 To: Phil Jeanes Cc: amit.nagar; JAYANT.KRISHNA@uk-tcs.com; Simon Smith Subject: RE: Partnership for Edinnburgh Congestion Charging contract opportunity Dear Phil, We are in the process of putting together an effective end-to-end solution with multiple options, for the Edinburgh Congestion Charging opportunity. The Memorandum of Information for the contract, though, seems pre-disposed towards a camera- based solution. Would you like to share your views, before we reach a stage where we are able to clearly demarcate roles? In the nature of these developments and overlaps in our capabilities and aspirations, it is difficult to talk chalk and cheese at this stage, as you may appreciate. If you wish so, our representative in London, Amit Nagar can present you with greater details about TCS capabilities in general, and our experience in handling large projects of high complexity, of the nature demanded in the Edinburgh context. Season’s Greeting’s Chandra Vikash Annexure IB—– Forwarded by Chandra Vikash/DEL/TCS on 10/21/2005 01:40 PM —– “Simon Stephen” <simon.stephen@uk-tcs.com>01/22/2004 02:49 PMTo”‘jayant.krishna'” <jayant.krishna@uk-tcs.com>cc”‘Jyoti Srivastava'” <jyotis@delhi.tcs.co.in>, “‘Chandra Vikash'” <Chandra_Vikash@delhi.tcs.co.in >, “‘Tim Giles'” <tim.giles@uk-tcs.com>, “‘Megan Douglas'” <megan.douglas@uk-tcs.com>, “‘Manu Kapila'” < manu.kapila@uk-tcs.com>, “‘Lya Noon'” <Lya.Noon@uk-tcs.com>, “‘Jim Odell'” < jim.odell@uk-tcs.com>, “‘Cathy Day'” <cathy.day@uk-tcs.com>, “‘Amit Nagar'” <amit.nagar@uk-tcs.com>SubjectRE: Final TIE response Jayant, Here is a copy of the e-mail I sent Jim and Tim last week. This tells you everything you need to know. Give me a call if you have any questions. Thanks Simon Hi, Just to confirm what was discussed just now. I spoke with John Rushton of Serco earlier who told me the following. Serco were very impressed with our response to the TIE bid that we sent them. They themselves replied to TIE taking a “partner agnostic” approach and mentioned that there were 3 possible SI companies that they might use for the project and named them as TCS, Wipro and BirlaSoft. Serco told TIE that they would make a decision as to who they would use in the next few weeks (see below). Serco already have Out Source agreements with Wipro and BirlaSoft but they expire within the next few months. Hence Serco are looking to either re-sign or find a new partner, namely TCS. So, Serco are going to do the following – 1. By 30th Jan they will deliver “Bid” to TCS, Wipro and BirlaSoft. The bid will ask us all to respond as per any normal bid (tech capabilities, core competencies etc) but will also ask for our attitude towards Risk, Equity Share, Joint Marketing and so on. In short, they want a partner who will put their money where there mouth is. The responses will need to be back with Serco by 13th February. 2. They will want to visit our TCS facilities in India and perform due diligence etc, probably after 13th Feb response date. 3. Serco will still meet with TCS and Sun on 9th February in London to discuss the TIE bid. We will also be allowed to ask any outstanding questions about the “bigger” bid, although not with Sun present. I suggest a lunch? Attendees – a. TCS b. Sun – Robert Maidment (RFID Expert) + 2 others TBC c. Serco – Trevor Platt (Transport BDM), John Rushton (Head of Proj Mgt, Public Sector) and Iain McCafferty (Director of Public Sector Business) The prize? To become the preferred Out Source partner for Serco on a global basis for all projects, not just transport. I am afraid I can only guess at the potential value of this. —–Original Message—– From: jayant.krishna [mailto:jayant.krishna@uk-tcs.com] Sent: 22 January 2004 00:12 To: Simon Stephen Cc: ‘Jyoti Srivastava’; ‘Chandra Vikash’; Tim Giles; Megan Douglas; Manu Kapila; Lya Noon; Jim Odell; Cathy Day; Amit Nagar Subject: Final TIE response Simon, Do you have any update on the TIE opportunity. Also, did you hear from Serco after submission of TCS’ inputs to them which were to be used in their repsonse? Also, have they forwarded a copy of their final response to us. If they have not, could you kindly ask them to do so since TCS as member of the consortium should be entitled to see the response they as the prime have submitted to the client? Regards, Jayant Jayant Krishna Regional Manager Transportation Practice TATA Consultancy  Services 18 Grosvenor Place London SW1X 7HS Phone: 0044 (0) 20 7441 1226 Mobile: 0044 (0) 77 3666 0306 e-mail: jayant.krishna Annexure IC “Tim Giles” < tim.giles@uk-tcs.com >08/31/2005 01:19 PMTo<chandra.vikash@tcs.com >cc”‘Hannah Goodman'” <hannah.goodman@ uk-tcs.com>, <Tanmoy.Chakrabarty@tcs.com >SubjectRE: Working Session 1st Week Sept. ’05 / UK opportunityIf you think that TSS has something to offer then I am happy to spend an hour or so with them to hear their proposition.  As for the two examples you gave, the first was never going to happen as the council completely miss read the mood of the city.  This was something those of us plugged into the system here knew about and is the reason why I didn’t invest any time in it.  LRUC was about the machinations of top politians vieing for power over their peers and no end of clever models is going to over come that.   Until the the objectives and operations of the Innovation Fund become clearer I simply have too much to do on other fronts to spend any time worrying about it.   Regards   T. —–Original Message—– From: chandra.vikash@tcs.com [mailto: chandra.vikash@tcs.com] Sent: 30 August 2005 10:24 To: Tim Giles Cc: ‘Hannah Goodman’; Tanmoy.Chakrabarty@tcs.com Subject: RE: Working Session 1st Week Sept. ’05 / UK opportunity Thanks Tim for your appreciation of my effort. I accept your decision and shall wait for an appropriate opportunity. 1. As far as TSS’ Mr. Barcelo’s interest is concerned, he is interested in a partnership where TSS contributes with the software for the Transportation Innovation Fund opportunity and also co-develops extension to its current  software to represent the MobilityXS framework. He is not interested in only “selling” the software, as you seem to be sure of. 2. I shall earnestly look forward to an opportunity to deconstruct the MobilityXS model for you and to share why and how it is eminently “sensible and practical” and means real business for TCS in UK. Or we can once again wait for time to tell… … like in case of our earlier efforts on Edinburgh Congestion Charging and on the Lorry Road User Charging. Regards, Chandra Vikash Business Leader – ITS Tata Consultancy Services Limited Mailto: chandra.vikash@tcs.com Website: http://www.tcs.com Chandra,   While I appreciate your efforts to help us expand our relationship with the UK Public Sector I do not believe that Mobility XS will aid us in this venture.     Having reviewed your proposition I find it to be completely out of tune with the views of the UK government nor would it be unacceptable to the UK public. More importantly it is not going to make us any money.  As evidence of this I have enclosed the processings of a recent conference held in the UK which was hosted by the Chair of the Parlimentary Sub-Committe for Transport and the Key Note speech given by the Minister of State for Transport.  The conference focused on making improvements over the short term via technologies such as teleworking and teleconferencing as the means of reducing the stress on our transport system.     I think the Minister summed it up best by saying that we must concentrate on “Sensible and practical moves that work for the individual and the wider community.” I do not see Mobility XS falling into this category.  If we are going to invest money in developing a proposition then we should do us with this in mind.   As for Mr Barcelo, I’m sure that he is interested in working with us as it would mean getting TCS to pay for his software. As I am in the final stages of working on a bid for government which we stand a very good chance of winning I am unavailable for any workshop any time before December.     My final comment on the subject is that as the Sales Lead for central government in the UK I do not want Mobility XS discussed with any member of the Public Sector as it will damage our reputation and reduce our chances of winning real business.  I’m sorry if this note appears to be rude but I wanted to make my position clear once and for all.  This proposition will not work in the UK for the foreseeable future we must instead concentrate on pursuing real business that will bring in revenue to the company.     I am happy to discuss how we might do that but I am not about to allow your current ideas to go further in the UK.   Regards   Tim Giles —– Original Message —–From: Chandra VikashTo:Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2006 1:21 PMSubject: Working Session – Approach to Transport Fuel Pricing and Demand Management – Public-Private Partnership To,Dr. Leena SrivastavaExecutive DirectorThe Energy & Resources Institute,New Delhi, INDIADear Dr. Srivastava,How are you! As you may recall, we discussed a new model for transport fuel pricing and demand management called FuelSaver ( www.mobilityxs.com/resources.htm.) and an accompanying* model for transport system management called MobilityXS ( http://www.mobilityxs.com/mobilityxs.htm).As per your advice, I made a proposal to the TERI team which made certain recommendations to pilot a project. Since there has been a concerted effort to pilot and otherr developments as well as changes in environmental factors – crude oil price, public transport security, rising congestion, road safety and accessibility problems,  climate change findings and its impact being already realised in India in a significant way etc..I shall request you for a fresh review of the two models and to explore collaboration for consultancy proposal to the concerned government ministries and other stakeholders including international agencies.As per today’s conversation with Dr. Ranjan Bose from Transport Group at TERI, I propose a Working Session meeting with key stakeholders from public and private sector who have shown interest in this initiative:Mr. MS Srinivasan – Secretary, Union Ministry of PetroleumMr. OP Agarwal – Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Urban DevelopmentMr. Nimish Desai – Head of Strategic Solutions Group, SSA GlobalMr. Rakesh Verma – CEO – CE InfoSystems (MAPPLS)Mr. Jyoti Srivastava – Head of Transport Practice, TCSMr. Pablo Barcelo – Director TSS, Spain (AIMSUN)Mr. Manish Srivastava – CEO – Mustus SoultionsFurther developments:1. Our initiative to pilot the project in Palam Vihar in Gurgaon was reported at length by Hindustan Times as attached. The design of the pilot project transport service was based on a user seminar to collect inputs about their needs, aspirations and willingness to pay for the proposed service. We made an appeal for special permission and financial grants to the Ministry of Urban Development for which we await further response. We have had several rounds of meetings with Joint Secretary Urban Development Ministry Sh. OP Agarwal and Director UT Mr. Sanjeev Lohia and await their further response to our proposal.** 2. We have been duly supported by a consortium of partners – SSA Global – Route Planning Software and customisation, MAPPLS – Digital map solution, Mustus Solution – application development and TSS, Spain in this initiative towards collaboration for further development of the the system and its marketing.3. We received the search report for the PCT patent filing on the MobilityXS model which assures us of its uniqueness. A final defense is in progress. Pl. find attached our filing. A concept paper on how MobilityXS meets “new urbanism” objectives has been selected for the International Ecocity Conference to be held in Nov. 2006 in Bangalore this year.***4. We have developed a basic prototype for FuelSaver as well as requirement document for a full-scale prototype. Pl. refer attachment on the requirement specification for the final prototype. An article on FuelSaver was published in the April issue of Down to Earth, the science and environment fornightly from Center for Science and Environment.* As per the design, FuelSaver needs to be sequenced by MobilityXS to enable consumers to realise significant benefits in terms of lower fuel price/ pax-km even though some of the benefits happen from even a standalone implementation of FuelSaver. The two models can further be adapted depending on stakeholder objectives and environmental factors – energy prices and supply, physical environment, demographics etc.**Reference: Working Group on Urban Transport including Mass Rapid Transport Systems for Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012) – Invitation of comments http://www.urbanindia.nic.in/moud/programme/ut/utwg11plan.pdfAlternative ProposalPragati Proposal: Working Group on Urban Transport including Mass Rapid Transport Systems for Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-2012)I. Integrated Urban Design and Transport  System1. To develop policies, standards and guidelines for integrated land-use and transportation system as an integral part of the comprehensive city development plans with integrated traffic and transportation plans are prepared under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission for each city with integration of land use planning and transportation plans. The Working Group will explore following areas:    a. Optimal traffic flow conditions on High Speed Motorways (HSM). Similar to “dedicated corridors” for mass rapid transit network, High Speed Motor Vehicles (HSMV) should have exclusive access to motor roads where they can travel at average speeds of 60-80 kmph.    b. Safe and positive environment for Walking, Bicycling and “Neighborhood Vehicles” (NVs) by providing them exclusive access to Low Speed Streets and Walkways. NVs are power-ssisted, low speed, light, low capacity, zero to very low pollution modes such as electric assisted pedal rickshaws (See Figure I) or CNG auto-rickshaws as already run in the national capital.    c. Access Control for both High Speed Motorways as well as Low Speed Streets and Walkways will lead to significantly better traffic conditions in both the segments.        i. HSMV use should restricted by Cordon Entry charges like in Central London or in Singapore, Norway and as has been proposed for many other areas across the             world.        ii. HSMVs have to adhere to speed limits such as 20kmph for movement in the area and follow stringent traffic discipline. Violations are heavily fined with graded                 penalties for subsequent violations.        iii. They pay graded charges for Entry and Stay Charges per hour within the neighborhood areas. As graded charges,they increase to very high levels for                               high monthly usage – up to Rs. 500 per hour – to deter entry of High Speed Motor Vehicles in residential areas. Exemption are made for medical emergencies-             ambulances and fire engines.    d. Infrastructure is created for parking of HSMV on parking lots at strategic locations similar to criteria used for Mass Transit Stations. If space is a constraint, multi-        storied parking structure can be built of capacity and at locations as per the Master Plan for the area.     e. Access Control Zone of 3 km corridor on either side where only light, CNG/ electric rickshaws and bicycles called Neighborhood Vehicles are allowed            – Access time between 5-15 minutes            – Revenue potential from higher commercial value of surrounding areas as it enables greater footfall    f. Seamless integration of feeder service enables spacing of Metro Stations to at least 2 kms.            – Enables passenger carrying capacity to be increased by 100-200% – more trips per hour            – Reduces travel time            – Increases frequency of service            – Shifts short distance travel from Metro to NVs    g. Provision of high capacity bicycle rack facility and service bay for pick up and drop of passengers in the station area           – Improves accessibility for larger number of people  II. Transport Fuel Pricing and Transport Demand ManagementTo develop a policies, standards, guidelines for Transport Fuel Pricing Mechanism in the country in concert with other concerned government and other agencies.    a. Allow market pricing of Petrol and Diesel. Remove petrol and diesel subsidy which mostly benefits the rich in the name of the poor.    b. Restructure fuel taxation system to remove anomalies as follows:            i.. Fuel Taxation for every vehicle should be differentiated based on their weight, volume and emission level.            ii. Fuel Surcharge should be levied on consumption above a certain limit which should be differentiated on their usage – private or public transport.    c. Create dedicated funds by better utlisation of current fuel taxes or levy additional taxes if required for purpose as follows:             i. Localised Road Development Fund – Fuel tax collection and fuel efficiency measurement provide valuable inputs for road network management to upgrade                 and maintain good quality roads in all  urban areas.             ii. Energy Security Fund: India faces a scenario of spiralling crude oil import bill, loss making oil companies and petrol and diesel supply outages within 5 years. Tthis fund is used for development and/or technology transfer of Hydrogen fuel cell, bio-fuel, photovoltaics, wind energy and advanced batteries such as Lithium ion and to  create infrastructure for fuels – CNG, Hydrogen Fuel Cell stations and Battery charging stations for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) (with mileage of 100-200 kmpl  of petrol, diesel or CNG) from the power grid or from photovoltaic panels. Similarly, wind energy can be used to produce hydrogen for fuel cells using this fund.             iii. Environment Security Fund: Scientific evidence points to catastrophic consequences of climate change within 10 years as has already started unless deep reduction in emission of greenhouse gases is achieved. India is commited under the Kyoto protocol to reduce emissions from 2012. This fund will be utilised for creating awareness, demand management, new technologies and structural changes that can together reduce emissions to desired levels.   III. Motor Vehicle Usage and Transport Demand Management To develop policies, standards and guidelines for use of Motor Vehicles to promote greater fuel efficiency, reduce wastage of empty seats and empty or idle movement or parking of vehicle leading to traffic and parking congestion as well as to enhance quality of vehicle driving.    a. A new category of “Shared Use Vehicles” (SUV) should be created to allow existing private and commercial vehicle owners to register their vehicle for high occupancy and shared use with assigned “Transport Service Providers”.    b. All private vehicles which are not registered as SUVs have to purchase a Certificate of Entitlement (equivalent to 100% of cost of vehicle for a period of 10 years from date of manufacturing) to ply on the roads.    c. SUVs are allowed to provide stage carriage and pick and drop service. The vehicle owner can be reimbursed for the cost of using the vehicle based on an agreed rate between the vehicle owner as well as service provider. They are entitled to a higher limit for fuel consumption for which no Fuel Surcharge is levied.    d. Road Usage Charging for all vehicles for all roads in proportion to their usage – distance and route. This system will replace the Fuel Taxation component for Road Development as it is a better measure of road demand.For this purpose accurate and working odometer are made mandatory for every vehicle like household electricity meters, water meter, cooking gas meter, phone meter etc.    e. Standards, Vehicle Testing Infrastructure and Procedures are developed for new kind of vehicles – PHEVs, Bio-fuel compatible,  Hydrogen Fuel Cell and electric rickshaws for their suitability to the terrain in which they will be plying.       f. Driving Proficiency Rating: Based on measurement of actual driving performance including adherence to traffic guidelines (using available technologies such as 3-D accelerometer/gyros, computer imaging etc.), this is used for selection of driver for public as well as shared use vehicles. Private vehicle owners must have a Driving Proficiency above a threshold limit to be eligible to self-drive their vehicles.   The above proposal is based on in-depth study of the transportation and related sector as well as a comprehensive assessment of commuter needs in the country. Pl find attached supporting documents that outline a highly efficient, safe, timely, accessible, affordable and environment-friendly transportation system.***  Horses for Courses:  A New Approach for Efficient and Sustainable Urban Transport ManagementTheme: Efficient and Sustainable Urban Utilities ManagementABSTRACTMisleading and often provocative advertisements stoke a belief amongst policy makers and urban planners that people want to own automobiles and that their choices must be honoured in a fundamentally market-driven economy. For a significant proportion of people though, it is automobile-dependent urban design, which compels them into private ownership. Automobile -dependency, in this view, does not begin with the failure to provide “public transport” alternatives but with the basic failure to appreciate that in today’s context – with stiffening constraints of fuel supply, land and environment – the fossil-fuel driven, high power, privately-owned automobile has no place in the urban neighbourhood. This paper presents a new approach which provides users the choice to walk, bicycle or take a ride in light, power-assisted rickshaws for their local trips in the neighbourhood, where entry of automobiles is restricted. Fast moving automobiles, at the same time, run uninterrupted of slow moving traffic on a seamless network of arterial roads and move much faster than at present with a combination of innovative traffic control measures, grade-separated intersections (pedestrian and bicyclists road over bridges and ramps)   and vehicle navigation sensors and communication technologies in this approach. The two modes are seamlessly connected for longer trips in a hub and spoke mechanism. These interchange hubs are multi-storied parking lots for automobiles – ranging from 4 to 40 seating capacity – which move point-to-point at high occupancy.    Users can avail of personalised transport service at market-determined price points for commuters significantly better – in terms of safety, travel time, accessibility, cost, environment-friendly, comfort and convenience etc. – than any of the choices that are available today. For an apple-to-apple comparison, it proposes a measure of the full cost of privately owned automobile which at present avail of an array of regressive subsidies, even if they are not always intended Proposed Amendment (PCT)_CV_2.1.doc 153K

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A Method and System of Personalised Public Transportation

By

Chandra Vikash

Field of the Invention

The present invention is in the field of transportation and pertains more particularly to a method and system of transportation thus providing effective and efficient transport system, and giving a user, a complete travel experience according to their choice along with other related services.

Background of the Invention

Customers today have a choice for a product / service in respect of food, clothes, housing, etc. as per their demand l.  Customers, however, do not have a similar choice in the field of transportation and travel services, for e.g., a choice for vehicle or mode, together with a choice for appropriate infrastructure and environment.  For instance, even the purchase of the costliest premium segment car, does not provide a high quality travel experience that extends beyond the vehicle.

Ideally, in the field of transportation, three aspects are to be looked into i.e. vehicles, infrastructure and environment, to properly cater to the users’ need of choice.  The user would ideally want to choose within options in different areas such as, for e.g., walking / cycling / motorbikes / scooters / automobile; vehicle – rentals / lease – chauffer or self-driven; rickshaw / taxicab / bus/ train, etc., along with other mobility options such as carpooling, car sharing, ridesharing, etc.  In respect of goods transportation, options include enabling the consumer to carry the goods with him or to be delivered by a combination of different vehicles – carts, small and large lorries, trailers, wagon trains, etc. from the site of production to their doorstep.

In the field of transportation of people and or goods over short and long distances, there are significant wastes.  In a systemic view, these wastes in the known system of transportation, originates from incongruencies in the following areas, such as:

1. Traffic volume and carriage capacity of the road section;
2. Traffic flow expectation and vehicle driving quality of other drivers;
3. Vehicle seating capacity and vehicle occupancy;
4. Vehicle location and passenger / goods location at the start of journey;
5. Vehicle optimal speed range – fuel efficiency, safety, depreciation – and actual vehicle speed in traffic conditions;
6. Vehicle model / features and consumer preferences;
7. Vehicle usage scenarios depicted in advertisements and actual usage scenarios;
8. Rates of Psychological, Technological and Economic vehicle obsolescence in case of Private Ownership;
9. Potential Recyclability and modularity of a vehicle, sub-assemblies and components for reuse and Acceptability for private vehicle purchase decisions;
10. Vehicle characteristics – weight, optimal speed range, tyre characteristics, ground clearance – and Road Surface and Traffic conditions in which they actually ply;
11. Actual vehicle and infrastructure design and Accessibility requirements for elderly, children and for disabled;
12. Travel Time expectation and Vehicle speed;
13. Repair and maintenance complexity of vehicle (compounded by increase electronic / software components) and Information available to private vehicle owners to make an objective choice;
14. Supply and Demand of road network;
15. Supply and Demand of parking stations;
16. Supply and Demand of vehicle fuels – Petrol, Diesel, CNG, LNG, Bio-fuel, Hydrogen Fuel Cell, Electric, Solar, Compressed Air, Hybrid etc.;
17. Fueling point – location, time, appropriate fuel type and vehicle location and information available to private vehicle owners;
18. Vehicular pollution and other incidental environmental damage due to current pattern of vehicle usage  and Environment absorption capacity;
19. Traffic Signal times and Actual Traffic flow in each direction;
20. Price points for available Transportation Services and Consumer affordability or willingness to pay;

It should be noted that the undesirability of these wastes is from a end-user point of view even as some of these in-congruencies are exploited by vested interests for value appropriation.  Examples are:

1. Lack of appropriate infrastructure and environment for walking and cycling in densely inhabited areas for short trips.  This encourages escalating use of automobile for these trips which are not suitable for the purpose i.e. as density of automobile use in the area increases more people feel unsafe to walk or cycle and switch to automobiles;

2. Safety perception in case of uneven collision with a heavier vehicle leads to escalation in size and weight of automobiles;

3. Lack of transparency in prices for proprietary replacement parts, optional fittings, and whether a specific component or sub-assembly needs to be replaced;

4. Lack of transparency in fuel brands which claim mileage and vehicle-life enhancing benefits and the appropriate fuel type for a vehicle;  

5. Gap between the Rated and Actual fuel efficiency due to traffic, road, vehicle and driving conditions leads to greater sale of gasoline or diesel than is required to cover the same distance and leads to further escalation of prices of a commodity with diminishing supply.

Existing approaches focus on one hand on packing more strength and features on the vehicle:

1. Greater safety and security for the occupant – more metal protection around the vehicle, airbags, emergency response etc.;
2. Communication for navigation assistance, concierge to find a location or reach there by a less congested route etc.;
3. Online information – stock quotes, weather updates etc. while traveling and while they are stuck in traffic jams.

Alternatively, known methods either focus on the infrastructure alone such as creating more roads, flyovers or my framing more stringent traffic rules.

Another prevailing approach is to circumvent the problem by focusing on mass rapid transit solutions such as underground metro or high capacity bus as a panacea.  Even though they are useful on the high-density corridors, their capital cost is high for wider deployment, looking at various factors such as the cost of land acquisition, digging underground in built-up areas in an entire Region and the traffic disruption they cause during their long construction phase.  In such a case, they fail to provide door-to-door mobility and to entice commuters away from their private vehicle.

Many urban areas have poly-nucleated development with high dispersion of inhabited areas.  Overall, though this approach is a useful complement, it distracts attention from the larger problem of the need for a comprehensive approach.

The above approaches fail to take a systemic view of vehicle-infrastructure-environment elements and the need for an integrated solution for traffic management coupled with consumer choice and satisfaction.   

In light of the limitations in the prior art it has occurred to the inventor that a systemic solution for providing better transportation, traffic management and consumer travel choice is needed that metamorphoses existing modes and develops a customized modal distribution for every Region.

Object of the Invention

One of the objects of this invention is to develop efficient transportation system, eliminate waste and to provide complete travel experience to a consumer according to their choice, preferences and affordability. 

Another object of this invention is to manage the traffic in such a fashion, which causes less traffic congestion, assures consumers of the travel time, road-safety, etc. 

Another object of this invention is to facilitate and enhance the mobility of the consumers or their goods but simultaneously use vehicles that run on appropriate energy source for specific mobility requirements.  

Brief description of the Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating classification of Land according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the laying and classification of the road network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the Expressway-Over-Bridge constructed at the Expressway – Street Intersection in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating the structure of an Expressway Station according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the Light & Slow Vehicles (“LSVs”) Port constructed according to embodiment of the present invention.

A Flow Chart illustrating the operation of the System in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention.

Description of the Invention

The present invention provides method and system for providing seamless, door-to-door mobility services for people and for goods for short and long distances at market-mimicking price points.

The inventor provides a unique method and system of personalized public transportation to provide efficient transportation service; complete travel experience to a user according to their choice and preferences; manage the traffic in such a fashion, which causes least or none traffic congestion, assures consumers of the travel time, road-safety, etc.  The method and system of the present invention are described in enabling detail below.

Classification of the Land Area:

Layout of the Region and Village/s:

The layout of the Regions and Village(s) in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with reference to Fig. 1.

According to the present invention, the entire given land 100 under implementation is classified as a Region 105.  According to the present invention a Region 105 could be, for example and without limitations, any urban area, rural area, province, country or even a continent.  As per the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a given Region 105 should be an area identified on the basis of parameters such as, for e.g. but without limiting, the area within which a significantly large majority of surface trips begin and terminate.   

According to the embodiment of the present invention, a given Region 105 is sectored into Villages 110 .  As per the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, and for the purposes of implementing the present invention effectively, Villages 110 should be the areas in the given Region 105 identified on the basis of parameters such as, for e.g. but without limiting, the places where a majority of trips begin and terminate.  Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Villages 110 should be formed in a hexagonal shape (honeycomb).

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, Villages 110 are inhabited areas in a given Region 105 and each Village 110 is normally made up of 4 to 8 sq. kilometers.  A Village 110 can also be made up of an area either more than 4-8 sq. kilometers or less than 4-8 sq. kilometers and hence the said distances specified herein should not be seen as a limitation.  The area of the Village 110 may also vary depending upon the preferences of the implementers on criteria such as, for e.g., population density in that area and its identity as a single community, etc. and hence the said distances specified herein should not be seen as a limitation.   

Laying and Classification of the Road Network:

The layout of the Road Network in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with certain appropriate figures.

Expressways:

The layout of the Expressways 115 in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with reference to Fig. 2.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the Villages 110 formed in accordance with the present invention are bounded or connected by a network of Expressways 115 in any appropriate manner.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Villages 110 are bound or connected by Expressways 115 on various sides.  For the purposes of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in respect of how Villages 110 are bound by Expressways 115, please refer to the illustrated Fig.2. 

According to the present invention, Expressways 115 are multi-lane carriageways with exclusive access to Fast and Heavy Vehicles (“FHVs”), for e.g. but not limiting to, cars, vans, buses and trains, and which are further described below in the embodiment of the present invention.  According to the present invention, Railways – elevated, surface or underground – are also classified as Expressways 115 in this definition. 

According to the embodiment of the present invention, an Expressway 115 gives access only to motorized FHVs.  As per the preferred embodiment of the present invention, proper known means for obstructing trespassers, animals, etc. should be along the side-line of the Expressways 115..  Known means such as construction of walls or fences along the side-line of the Expressways 115 could be used.  According to the present invention, the speed limit on the Expressways 115 could be determined after taking into consideration factors including the type of vehicles used on the Expressways 115, safety, etc.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the speed limit on the Expressways 115 could be around 90 kilometers / per hour.  The specified speed limit is only an indicative figure and should not be seen as a limitation.  

Streets:

The layout of the Streets in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with reference to Fig. 2.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, a Village 110 so formed in accordance with the present invention comprises of roads and pathways called as Streets 120 laid in any desired manner.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Village 110 comprises of interconnected Streets 120 laid in a way to create a mesh of Streets 120 in the said Village 110.  For the purposes of the preferred embodiment of present invention in respect of laying Streets 120 in a Village 110, please refer to the illustrated Fig.2. 

According to the embodiment of the present invention, Streets 120 are multi-lane carriageways for Light and Slow Vehicles (“LSVs”) and includes dedicated lanes for pedestrians called as Pathways.  LSVs include, for e.g. but without limitation, could be pedestrians, bicycles, very low to zero –pollution scooter, motorcycles, manual or electric rickshaws, golf-carts, etc., and which are further described below in the embodiment of the present invention.  

According to the present invention, the speed limit on the Streets 120 could be determined after taking into consideration factors including the vehicles used on the Streets 120, the objects of the invention including using fast, safe and non polluting vehicles on the Streets 120, etc.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, the speed limit on the Streets 120 could be around 30 kilometers / per hour.  The specified speed limit is only an indicative figure and should not be seen as a limitation.  They optimize space with option for multiple rules – right side motorized, free overtaking.  Lanes can be reserved for a particular class of vehicles e.g. bicycle lane and their width can be customized.  

Exceptions to allow FHVs to ply over the Streets 120 can be made possible only in the case of emergencies such as inclement weather conditions with prior intimation through means for street alarm system, for e.g., blinking light indicators, sounds, etc. 

Road Network Infrastructure Details:

The Road Network Infrastructure details in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with appropriate figures.

Expressway-Street Intersection:

The layout and the details of the Expressway – Street Intersection in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with reference to Fig. 3.

According to the embodiment of the present invention all Expressways 115 in a given Region 105 are interconnected.  One or more Expressways 115 may also intersect with Streets 120.  At such intersection known means in the industry can be provided to facilitate consumers plying on the Streets 120 to cross the Expressways 115.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an Expressway Over-Bridge (“EOBs”) 130 is provided for facilitating the consumers including people and bicycles to crossover the Expressways 115 at such intersection with the aid of staircase, escalators or elevators for upward or downward movements.  The EOBs 130 could also be adapted, with necessary modifications, to facilitate the consumers to cross the Expressways 115 under the Expressways 115.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, whether the EOBs 130 are to be provided over the Expressways 115 or under the Expressways 115 are determined taking into consideration factors including the topography or the geography of the surrounding area. 

Although the EOBs 130 can be powered by traditionally known energy sources, however, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the EOBs 130 are powered by non-conventional energy sources such as solar sheds, batteries, fuel cells, etc.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, at such intersection, in case EOBs 130 is so provided according to the present invention facilitate the consumer to cross the Expressways 115 over the Expressway 115, the EOBs 130 are to be elevated to a height sufficient enough to allow the tallest vehicle that could pass through the Expressway 115.  Known technological ways and means could also be adapted to increase or decrease the elevation level of the EOBs 130 at such intersections. 

According to the present invention, by providing EOBs 130 at such intersections, a grade separated intersection of Streets 120 and Expressways 115 is provided. 

Street-Street Intersection:

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, all Streets 120 in a Village 110 are interconnected.  Combined with the EOBs 130 all Streets 120 are seamlessly connected for pedestrians and for bicyclists. 

Expressway Stations:

The layout and the details of the Expressway Station 135 in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with reference to Fig. 4.

According to the embodiment of the present invention, as stated earlier, all Expressways 115 in a given Region 105 are interconnected and may intersection each other.  According to the embodiment of the present invention, Expressway Stations 135, which are described more in detail below in the embodiment of the present invention, are typically constructed at such intersections.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, Expressway Stations 135 are generally constructed at an elevated level in such a way that it allows incoming FHVs to pass through.  According to the embodiment of the present invention, Streets 120 may also terminate at the Expressways 115.  However, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention Streets 120 terminate at Expressway Stations 135.  Further, although Expressway Stations 135 can be constructed at such intersections according to the implementers choice, however, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, Expressway Stations 135 are typically located at every of 5 -8 kms.  The specified distance herein i.e. 5-8 kms. is only an indicative figure and should not be seen as a limitation.  Further, Railway stations in the Region 105 are also classified as Expressway Stations 135.

According to the present invention, Expressway Station 135 is a multi-storied building comprising of multi-level parking, vehicle fueling and servicing facility for FHVs.  The Expressway Stations 135 also further comprise of facilities for other commercial establishments such as, but not limiting to, office space, retail space, hotels, business centers and transit warehouses, etc. 

According to the embodiment of the present invention, the multi-level parking facility may provide for known methods for facilitating parking of FHVs.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, the multi-level parking facility can be provided to comprise one or more Multi-Level Parking Structures (“MLPS”) 160.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, each such MLPS 160 can be so designated to stock a specific dimension of FHVs.  For the purposes of the preferred embodiment of present invention in respect of MLPS 160, please refer to the illustrated Fig. 4.  Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, such MLPSs 160 can be provided with means for upward and downward movement, including elevators, of the FHVs in a direction that suits the implementer’s choice.

Although there are known methods that could be implemented for aiding parking of the FHVs in the multi-level parking facility, parking of the FHVs is preferred, according to the embodiment of the present invention, to be provided for with the aid of a ramp.    

According to the present invention, at each story of the Expressway Station 135, provision or means for charging the FHVs are provided.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, such provisions or means for charging can be provided in such a manner that each FHVs are connected to a power grid to receive or to send electrical power as required. 

According to the present invention, the parking facility provided at the Expressway Stations 135 also comprise multiple fueling points for various fuel sources and types, and carriers fuels such as gasoline, hydrogen fuel cell, electric, bio-fuels, etc.  According to the present invention, the Expressway Stations 135 are also equipped with designated areas for fueling / servicing for any type of FHVs.

Light and Slow Vehicle (“LSV”) Ports:

The layout and the details of the LSV Port in accordance with the present invention can be explained and illustrated with reference to Fig. 5.

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and as discussed earlier in the embodiment, all Streets 120 in a Village 110 are interconnected.  According to the present invention, at intersections including Street-Street intersections, or Street-Expressway intersection or even at an Expressway Station 135, typically, a port called as an LSV Port 165 is constructed.  Such LSV Port 165 may be at a ground level (compared to the surrounding area) or at an elevated level, depending upon the implementer’s choice.  Although according to the present invention LSV Port 165 are typically located at every street corner or at intersections, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an LSV Port 165 should be located such that at least one LSV Port 165 is located within walking distance from any inhabited area. 

According to the present invention, LSV Port 165 are equipped with energy sources for facilitating energy to the LSVs.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, LSV Port 165 are covered with plastic solar sheets based on known technologies, which are wired to charge LSVs, as required.

According to the present invention LSVs Ports 165 also provide for parking LSVs.  According to the embodiment of the present invention, any known means for providing parking can be provided.  However, the preferred method for providing parking at the LSV Port  165, according to the embodiment of the present invention, is by providing racks of dimensions suitable for accommodating LSVs including bicycles, golf-carts, etc.   

Classification of the Vehicles:

According to the embodiment of the present invention, vehicles to be used in the present invention are classified under two categories i.e. Light and Slow Vehicles (“LSVs”) and Heavy and Fast Vehicles (“FHVs”). 

Light and Slow Vehicles:

According to the embodiment of the present invention, LSVs are very low to zero emission vehicles, which ply on Streets 120.  LSVs are further characterized as manual driven / automated guided vehicles- pedestrians, bicycles, very low to zero-pollution scooter, motorcycles, manual or electric rickshaws, golf-carts, etc.  According to the present invention, LSVs have low acceleration and a low peak speed.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, LSVs should have a low peak speed of about, but without limiting to, 30 km / hr.  According to the present invention, LSVs typically use combination of human, solar and electric power to directly power the vehicles or solar sheds, which charge batteries, which in turn power such vehicles.

Heavy and Fast Vehicles:

According to the embodiment of the present invention, FHVs are motorized heavy and fast vehicles, preferably having low to zero emission levels, such as cars, buses, etc running typically on Fuel Cell, CNG, or HSD.  FHVs ply on the Expressways 115 and are suited for long distance travel.  According to the present invention, FHVs, generally, move from one Expressway Station 135 to another, with zero or very few stops.  According to the present invention, FHVs can have varied capacities.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, FHVs should be of a size and shape with a view to optimize road space.  Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, FHVs are typically having capacities between 4 to 40.  

Controlling Systems:

According to the present invention, in a given Region 105, a central information hub called as a Central Information Center (“CIC”) is established for providing and handling issues comprising of registration, issue and service of consumer membership / user cards; facilitate enquiry, information, booking and reservation for a near trip or a far trip; central display of all vehicles including FHVs and LSVs in the Region 105 and or Village 110, data processing for the purposes of determining a driver proficiency rating (DPR), route determination and dispatch, transfer of FHVs amongst Expressway Stations 135 based on demand, traffic signal control, traffic violation and incident management; handling the traffic in the given Region 105 or Village 110 and incidental matters and information thereto, etc.  According to the present invention, the CIC can be also be assigned such other responsibilities as per the implementer’s choice. 

According to the present invention, the CIC will possess, contain, store and process all information / data relevant for the transportation services provided by the Service Provider, which is the subject matter of the present invention, and would further utilize it to provide efficient transportation services, coupled with complete travel experience to a User according to their choice, preferences and affordability, who also face less traffic congestion, and are assured of their travel time, road-safety, etc.. The system facilitates and enhances the mobility of the consumers or their goods but simultaneously better and efficiently utilizing the available energy resource for such mobility.  

According to the present invention, the functions or the services rendered / delivered by the CIC can also be performed or delivered with the aid of various channels including establishing one or more local counters at various public and desired locations.  

According to the preferred embodiment, however, the functions to be performed, and the services to be delivered, by the CIC, can be bifurcated or handled by separate centers performing respective functions as may be assigned.  The preferred details are as under:

Regional Transportation Information Center:

According to the present invention, for a given Region 105, a Regional Transportation Information Center (“R-TIC”) is established for providing and handling issues comprising of registration, issue and service of consumer membership cards; facilitate enquiry, information, booking and reservation for a near trip or a far trip, etc.  According to the present invention, communication between the R-TIC and the consumer can be effected through any communication mediums.  Further, according to the present invention, the functions or the services rendered by the R-TIC can also be performed or delivered with the aid of various channels including establishing local counters at various public and desired locations.  

Regional Traffic Control Station:

According to the present invention, for a given Region 105, a Regional Traffic Control Station (“R-TCS”) is established for the purposes of handling the traffic in the given Region 105 and incidental matters and information thereto.  According to the present invention, R-TCS performs such functions and looks into issues including central display of all FHVs in the Region 105, data processing for the purposes of determining the Driver Proficiency Rating (“DPR”), route determination and dispatch, transfer of FHVs amongst Expressway Stations 135 based on demand, traffic signal control, traffic violation and incident management, etc.

For determining DPR the parameters include close adherence to the navigation plan, lane, target speed, direction, etc.  Any deviations are recorded and the report generated is sent to the R-TIC at the end of the trip.  The payment to the User-Driver varies with the DPR.  There may be more than one user possessing the DPR, who are willing to drive.  Users bid for the driving assignment and the User with the highest DPR gets the assignment.  In situations, where no User qualifies, a staff driver is assigned for the trip.

 According to the present invention, the R-TCS can also be assigned such other responsibilities as the implementer may choose to. 

Village Traffic Control Station:

According to the present invention, for a given Village 110, a Village Traffic Control Station (“V-TCS”) is established for the purposes of handling the traffic in the given Village 110 and incidental matter and information thereto.  According to the present invention, V-TCS performs such functions and looks into issues including handling central display of all LSVs in the Village 110, transfer of LSVs amongst LSV Port 165 based on demand, traffic signal control, traffic violation and incident management, etc.  According to the present invention, the V-TCS can also be assigned such other responsibilities as the implementer may choose to.

System Operation:

The operation of the system can be illustrated with the aid of a flow chart.

Usage Plans and Payment Modes :

According to the present invention, a User can be provided with various plans for availing of the services of the Service Provider for e.g. Platinum Class, Gold Class, Silver Class, Economy Class, etc. depending on the ir choice and willingness to pay. The class of service determines the vehicle models, journey time (including waiting time) and choice of facilities such as favorite co-traveler, phone and Internet access, concierge, in-vehicle entertainment etc. Additionally, the User can further be given customized plans for each class to reflect finer choices or that may not be covered in the broad categories. 

According to the present invention, a User is can choose the option for post-paid mode of payment or pre-paid mode of payment, for payment for this service.  In post-paid modes, monthly bills are dispatched to the User.  Options to pay by cash or electronic payments are available. Cheque,  Post-paid users can also pay in account payee cheque.    

Communication with Central Information Center:

According to the embodiment of the present invention, a User communicates with the CIC (and includes R-TIC, R-TCS or V-TCS as the case may be, hereinafter collectively called as CIC) of the Service Provider with communication means such as telephone, Internet, kiosks, etc.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a communication device is to be made available inside the given Vehicle (including LSVs or FHVs or otherwise) for better communication between the User with the CIC and avail of the phenomenal navigational / transportation services provided by the Service Provider.  Additionally, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, communication devices can and should also made available at appropriate public places (closed or open) and or at desired places according to the implementer’s choice, for the User.  Additionally, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a User, who may be an illiterate person, also has an option of communicating with the CIC and availing the services of the Service Provider by visiting a local counter of the CIC opened by the service provider for those purposes.

According to the present invention, the CIC possesses, contains, stores and processes all information / data relevant for the transportation services provided by the Service Provider, which is the subject matter of the present invention, and would further utilize it for providing efficient transportation services, coupled with complete travel experience to a User according to their choice, preferences and affordability; manage the traffic in such a fashion, which causes less traffic congestion, assures User of the travel time, road-safety, etc.; facilitates and enhances the mobility of the User or their goods but simultaneously better and efficiently utilizing the available energy resource for such mobility.  

According to the present invention, a routine or a frequent User can also set default settings of the information relevant for availing the services.  According to the present invention, thus, a routine or a frequent User can customize his travel information for a specific customizable itinerary. 

Near Trip and Far Trip:

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a travel i.e. starting point to the destination point, of a User is categorized into two i.e. Near Trip (“NT”) and Far Trip (“FT”).  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a NT is a trip, which is typically less than 5 kms.  The specified distance herein i.e. 5 km. is only an indicative figure and should not be seen as a limitation.  In certain situations, depending upon the Service Provider’s choice, the distance to classify a trip as an NT can be more than 5 kms.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a NT is typically made only on Streets 120 with the aid of LSVs.  However, in certain situations, for e.g., inclemental weather condition, emergency, transportation of goods, etc. as per the criteria and terms and conditions set by the Service Provider, a NT can be made with the aid of FHVs. 

According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a Far Trip (“FT”) is a trip, which typically exceeds 5 kms.  The specified distance herein i.e. 5 km. is only an indicative figure and should not be seen as a limitation.  In certain situations, depending upon the Service Provider’s choice, the distance to classify a trip as a FT can be more than 5 kms.  According to the present invention, a FT is typically a trip between two Expressway stations 135 with no stops at a High Value Plan to very few stops at a Lower Value Plans.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a FT is broken down into a NT from the origin point to the assigned Expressway Station 135; a FT between the assigned Expressway Stations 135 and another NT to the end point.  According to the present invention, such breaking down of a FT into two NTs and a single FT makes the User pay on the actual use basis.   

According to the present invention, in case a User intends to halt in between his journey, he may specify the same accordingly.  The User may specify various information of his choice including a hotel or restaurant when he intends to halt or while breaking his journey may opt to walk for a specified distance for pleasure purposes or for health purposes before resuming his further journey, etc.

According the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the operation of the System can be illustrated with the aid of the followings steps along with the illustrative flow chart. 

Step 0:

The User registers himself with a Service Provider.  They choose from amongst a variety of subscription plans..  A User can update their subscription plan, preferences with prior notice.

Visitors in the Region 105 are issued short duration, pre-paid Member Smart cards. The balance upon completion of their stay is refunded in person or delivered to the visitor address.

All Users have to produce authentic photo-identity proof at the time of registration, which are subsequently verified by the Service Provider.  

Upon completion of registration process, a User receives a Member Smart card, which stores detail about their identity.  The User subscription details are stored at the CIC.   

Step 1:

A User communicates to the CIC for information, buying tickets or making reservations with the aid of any communication means such as phone, computer, kiosks, etc.  The User may also avail of the services of the Service Provider manually by visiting any of the local counters opened by the Service Provider for such purposes.  They may also set a default option for a routine travel, in which case they need to communicate in case of change in their travel plan.  

Step 2:

A User specifies their nearest starting point from the available choices and the destination details for e.g. the area, street address, landmark etc.

Step 3:

A User receives a confirmation of their request and information – boarding location, vehicle and seat number about their booking for each segment of their journey.  A User can take note of the information or print this e-ticket.  At local counters, a User receives a paper ticket.  A User has to carry his Member Smart Card for their identification.

Other Features:

According to the present invention, a User along with providing transportation services is also provided with other advantages and services including travel time assurance, road-safety, etc. 

Travel Time Assurance:

According to the present invention, the User can be provided with various services and methods, to assure the User of the travel time, the services comprising, for e.g., compensate the User for loss of the time, etc.  According to the present invention, with fewer vehicles and an optimal mix of vehicles of different sizes, the traffic flow is predictable in this system.  According to the present invention, a User can set as default settings, according to his preferences and needs, and using a combination of traffic control measures, information including individual vehicle speeds, etc. 

On-Road Safety and Security:

According to the present invention, a User is provided better vehicle and passenger safety and security.  With fewer vehicles, fewer drivers are needed.  Additionally, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the CIC collects, preserves and processes data pertaining to driving information of a User.  The said information is utilized by the Service Provider for assigning a rating for a User-Driver called as a Driver Proficiency Rating (“DPR”).  Accordingly, the present invention, as preferred, identifies better drivers and offers them the choice and incentives to drive from amongst those who travel on the same route.  According to the present invention, as preferred, the higher DPR, higher compensation is to be paid to such User-Driver.  Additionally, according to the present invention, the Service Provider can also monitor Vehicles for their roadworthiness.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the aid of the CIC, the Service Provider is enabled location and remote management of vehicle in case of emergency. 

Road Quality Service Assurance:

According to the present invention, Users pay for using the road (Expressways 115, Streets 120, or otherwise) for the number of kilometers that they ride at a rate that closely reflects their consumption of the road infrastructure and allied services.  In this way, according to the present invention, good quality roads, their upkeep and maintenance, and availability of road space based on demand, is made available to the User.

Clean Environment Assurance:

According to the present invention, with fewer vehicles on roads, vehicular pollution is significantly reduced to near zero levels.  As every vehicle carries more people than earlier, the present invention provides for significantly better vehicle upkeep and upgrade to cleaner fuels and / or vehicle technologies.  This facilitates faster absorption and commercialization of alternate fuel technologies and vehicles such as hybrids, fuel cells, solar-electric, bio-fuels etc.   Through the present invention, multiple problems with use of privately owned vehicles such as – frequent fueling and longer fueling time requirement for natural gas using vehicles due to limit on tank size and battery charging time for electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; spatial complexity and availability of multiple fuel types as well as servicing stations. Users are also assured of clean air services for stretches where they may choose to walk (for health reasons) or need to walk in areas where there is no motor vehicle access. 

Favored Co-Traveler Service:

According to the present invention, Users can choose whether they want to travel alone or select their favored co-traveler.  For these purposes, they can create a list of people or Users can enter profiles of people; they want to travel with.  According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the favored co-traveler list is approved with mutual consent.  According to the present invention, the favoured co-traveler list can be edited, updated by the Users.

Portability:

According to the present invention, User can also avail of personalized services in other Region 105 where this system is implemented that can be stored in a Smart Card or on a secure Internet site.

Environment Friendly:

By implementing this present invention, air-conditioning in vehicles becomes redundant except in extremely hot or cold conditions and for vulnerable Users.  This is due to various reasons including significant decline in pollution  from vehiclular emission and dust to near-zero levels

Healthy and Wholesome:

By implementing this present invention, in a wholesome approach to the User’s overall needs, they can choose to walk or bicycle comfortable distances in a pedestrian-friendly environment that is included in the overall travel experience. 

Freedom:  Choice to Ride or to Drive, No Refueling, Repair or Maintenance:

According to the present invention, Users are given freedom to choose when to drive and when to travel as a passenger.  According to the present invention, with this freedom, if they like driving and qualify as a good driver i.e. their Driving Proficiency Rating is above a threshold level, they can earn for their service to the system.  Alternatively, according to the present invention, they can just take a ride, with the comfort that the driver has been selected by the system to provide a safe ride. 

According to the present invention, Users do not have to take vehicles for refueling. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Service Provider can constantly monitor the vehicle including the fuelling, performances, etc.  This minimizes the chances of a vehicle break down.  Further, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the Service Provider in situations like for e.g. break downs, accident, etc. promptly arranges for an alternate vehicle to reach the point of incidence, hospital, etc. as the case may be.  According to the present invention, the Service Provider also provides for handling of insurance issues.

I Claim:

1. A method of personalized public transportation comprising of:

classification of a given land area into regions, based on various parameters including the area within which significantly large majority of surface trips begin and terminate, and wherein the said region is further divided into villages, based on parameters including the area within which majority of surface trips begin and terminate, the said village having a honeycomb-like (hexagonal) shape;

laying and classifying road network in the given land area, the road network comprising of a combination of streets and expressways, wherein the said villages comprise of interconnected Streets, which are multi-lane carriageways with exclusive access to light and slow vehicles and include dedicated lanes for pedestrians, and which further optimize space with option for multiple rules including lanes being reserved for a particular class of vehicle, the said villages being bound or connected by expressways, which are multi-lane carriageways with exclusive access to fast and heavy vehicles, and which are interconnected to each other; 

classification of vehicles as light and slow vehicles, and heavy and fast vehicles, wherein light and slow vehicles being vehicles having very low to zero emission vehicles that only ply on Streets and have low acceleration and a low peak speed, and wherein fast and heavy vehicles are motorized heavy and fast vehicles running on various energy sources yet having a low to zero emission levels and are used mostly to ply on expressways, the light and slow vehicles being used for near or short trips and heavy and fast vehicles being used for far or long trips;

A central information hub being means for aiding transport management and related services comprising of providing and handling various issues such as registration, issue and service of user membership cards, facilitate enquiry, information, booking and reservation for a near trip or a far trip, central display of vehicles in the area, data processing for the purposes of determining the driver rating, route determination and dispatch, transfer of vehicles amongst various routes based on demand, traffic signal control, traffic violation and incident management; handling the traffic in the given area and incidental matters and information thereto, wherein the central information hub possesses, contains, stores and or processes all information and or data relevant for transportation management and related services and utilizes it for providing efficient transportation services, coupled with complete travel experience to a user according to their choice, preferences and affordability, manage the traffic in such a fashion, which causes less traffic congestion, assures consumers of the travel time, road-safety, etc, facilitates and enhances the mobility of the consumers or their goods but simultaneously better and efficiently utilizing the available energy resource for such mobility; and,  means for locating vehicles and their communication with the central information hub.

• A method of personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1), wherein the said village is formed based on a specified area and is spread over an area of 4 to 8 kilometers.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as per claim (1), wherein means for obstructions are constructed along the sidelines of the expressways.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as per claim 1, wherein the speed limit for the expressways and or Streets are determined after taking into consideration factors including the type of vehicles used on the expressways / Streets, safety, etc.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein at intersection of street and expressway, Expressway-Over-Bridge is provided, as means for crossing the expressway, that provide for a grade-separated intersection with expressway.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein Expressway Station is built at sites where expressways intersect such that one Expressway Station is located at every of 5 -8 kms.

• A method and System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (6) wherein the Expressway Stations are constructed at an elevated level in a way that it allows incoming heavy and fast vehicles to pass through.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (6) wherein Expressway Station facilitates multitasking activities including multi-level parking, vehicle fueling, servicing facility, and or other commercial establishments including offices, retailers, hotels, warehouses, and or business centers. 

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (8) wherein at Expressway Stations means for supplying energy sources for the vehicles are provided in such a manner that vehicles are connected to power source to receive or to send power.

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (8) wherein at Expressway Stations multiple fueling points for various fuel sources and types are provided.

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (8) wherein multi-level parking structures are designated to stock a specific dimension of vehicle. 

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (11) wherein multi-level parking structures are provided with means for upward and downward movement of the vehicles in a direction that suits the implementer’s choice.

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (11) wherein multi-level parking structures are provided with a ramp for aiding entry and exit in the parking facility.

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein at intersections of the Streets or at an intermediate point, a Street port is built such that one Street port is available within walking distance from any inhabited area. 

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (14) wherein the said port is equipped with various energy sources for the vehicles.

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (14) wherein the said port is covered with photovoltaic panels, which are connected to provide charging to the vehicles. 

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (14) wherein the said port provides means for parking vehicles.

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (17) wherein the parking in the port is provided with the aid of racks of dimensions suitable for accommodating vehicles. 

1. A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein the central information hub is a Central Information Center aiding transportation management and related services.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein the functions to be performed, and the services to be delivered, by the central information hub can be bifurcated or handled by separate centers performing respective functions as may be assigned.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein the Central information hub provides and handles transportation management by itself or through its local counters.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein means of positioning and communication with the central hub is made available inside a given vehicle.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein means of communication for a user is also made available at appropriate public places and or at desired places according to the implementer’s choice. 

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein a user can customize his travel information for a specific customizable itinerary.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein a user pays for the transportation service based on various payment modes, value plans, vehicles, post-paid periodic billing, pre-paid, debit account and or by any combination thereof.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1) wherein a travel route of a user is classified into categories comprising of a Far Trip and a Near Trip. 

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (26) wherein a far trip is typically a trip between two expressway stations with no stops to very few stops.

• A method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (26) wherein a near trip is within a Village, to adjoining villages or from an origin point inside a Village to an assigned expressway station.

29.  A System of Personalised public transportation as used in the method of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (1), wherein the system comprising the following steps:

1. Communication of choices of travel such as type of vehicles, etc., by a user to the said central hub by communication means;
   1. Specifying the origin and/or destination (in certain cases the origin may be automatically communicated);
   1. Specifying the time limit within which the user intends to reach his destination;
   1. Specifying whether the user intends to drive the said vehicle or needs a professional driver or opts for self drive;
   1. Specifying whether the user intends to travel alone or otherwise choose his co-travelers from the available list of specific categories of travelers, or preferred co-traveler’s list, which can be further altered by adding, removing co-travelers.;
   1. Specifying passenger telematics like music, Internet, etc.;
   1. Receiving a confirmatory message containing information like boarding location, vehicle number, and seat number.

• A System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (29) wherein a user may be assisted manually with the aid of local counters opened for those purposes.

• A System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (29) wherein the selection of a road network is done by the service provider according to the  specified choices of the user.

• A System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (29) wherein a user is given a driving proficiency rating.

• A System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (32) wherein a user can drive the said vehicle if he possesses a satisfactory driving proficiency rating and the same is higher than other co-travelers who have made the option to drive.

• A System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (33) wherein a user is paid by the service provider if the user drives a vehicle along with the co-travelers in proportion to their driving proficiency rating.

• A System of Personalised public transportation as claimed in claim (29) wherein a visitor can opt for a prepaid card and can be refunded the balance amount on the completion of his stay.

Abstract

A Method and System of Personalised public Transportation providing faster, safer, cleaner, better returns on travel expenditure, comfortable and convenient means of transportation; and offering “price-levels and choice of service” bundles based fast and frequent feedback of user demand.  It combines with unique features such as choice to drive or to ride or to drive / ride alone or with desired / favored group of co-travelers with each choice coupled with incentives and rewards.  They can suggest their preferred models of vehicles, and their expected travel time etc. that is accommodated within the service level agreements for the subscription level.  The system is enabled with navigation assistance, novel approach to incident management, efficient and economical fuelling and vehicle repair and maintenance system, vehicles driven by proficient drivers, traffic management approach to match traffic volume to carriage capacity of road network, etc.  The System involves classification of road network for different types and means of commuting, and classification and design of vehicles for effective and efficient operation in the system.

MaaS Movement Back Story – Declassified Doc From Feb 2005

Graeme Maxton has been one of the leading strategy consultant for the global automobile industry. He is also climate change economist, author, former Secretary General of the Club of Rome.He shares his viewpoint here in this October 2023 article and update from a week back.

Graeme Maxton, Autopolis on the MobilityXS approach, 9 Feb, 2005

” You know, like any right thinking person, that I applaud your ideas as a constructive part of a debate which is sorely needed. Changing the ways we move people, making it safer and less polluting are urgent needs. In the developed world however there is a built in resistance to radical change.
This stems from two sources. First, governments are reluctant to make radical changes based on long term hypotheses over climate change or pollution. It is too much hassle for most of the people who are in power and who will be in the job for less than ten years to take on something that has a much longer term impact and which is likely to be unpopular.
It will be unpopular for the second reason. That 500 million conventional vehicles are
already used on the roads of the developed world. There are used selfishly by people who can do pretty much as they please and don’t want that to change.
The only thing that will modify this picture is not a sudden fit of goodwill or any long range thinking by politicians or concerned citizens, but oil. If there is a sudden oil problem – and I think there could be – then everything gets thrown in the melting pot.
Where your ideas have much more appeal to me is in places like India, China and other
newly-motorising countries where there is not a fully developed infrastructure, where oil imports are a problem and there is a flexibility of thinking and the vision to do it differently.”

Case 4: Pilot Project for MobilityXS model in India

Reference: Graeme Maxton, Sanjeev Lohia

Further, to Graeme’s advice, I made a presentation to the Urban Development ministry for piloting MobilityXS in India in Delhi NCR in a 2-phase program. (Refer attached presentationUT_24_March…)

Over a 2 year effort, the ministry incorporated my suggestions in the recently released “National Urban Transport Policy” for more clarity on its earlier stance to discourage private vehicle usage “but not ownership”. Both the draft and the final version are attached for reference. In the govt. document, you would also find many of the images that they borrowed from my presentation and image library. (Refer NUTP…)

My company TEN Systems was shortlisted for a tender on transport study of million plus cities in India. All the 3 members in the panel applauded our approach but said that as they could not award the project as the company did not meet the experience criteria. I have copied the mail to Mr. Sanjeev Lohia, Director – Urban Transport, Ministry of UD, Govt. of India to testify, as appropriate.

In a chicken and egg, till the ministry gave that in writing, none of the experienced players who were interested to bid showed interest in the new approach. TCS refused to bid in spite of my sincere efforts.

In short, after a gruelling effort, we made some headway even though it was too painfully slow and frustrating and still far away from business results.

Running out of funds for this self-funded start up and borrowing from near and dear ones, an opportunity came to pilot the project in Palam Vihar in Gurgaon. We organised a workshop to collect user feedback about the MobilityXS project – called PVT Paradise locally. This was reported by the national newspaper Hindustan Times in March ’06 (Refer Walki..like Europeans..) and details at http://www.mobilityxs.com/pragati/ .

The proposed pilot required the area developer, resident association to take actions such as – remove road width encroachment ( they have fenced parks outside their houses on area demarcated for pedestrian pavement) and to agree on and further move a proposal to enforce a speed limit of 30 kmph to the area traffic police ; a cordon entry charge of Rs. 20 and Rs. 30 per hour of stay; and provision for vehicle parking at the hub ( for shared use vehicles) and for private vehicles at the periphery.  Some of ideas  did  not find immediate favor and needed marketing budget to convey the benefits of the trade-offs that we were asking users to make.

This was required to encourage particularly younger people to reach the hub on bicycle ( for others it was walk or electric rickshaw @ 20kmph).

The pilot project also got a commitment of funding of Rs. 25 lacs. from Central urban development ministry to be routed through state govt. (Refer attachment Letter..UDM..)

The project is yet to take off, primarily, due to lack of  funds. The effort continues, thanks to the support from Mr. Avinash Chawla, one of the senior residents of the area.

It is possible with TCS and Mastek support to do the pilot project that sets the ground for worldwide opportunities as referred to in earlier mail.

Regards,
Chandra Vikash

Dear Mr Vikash,

Thank you for contacting us, providing your presentation and your kind words.  As you may know we are great fans of Tata Auto and what it has achieved in the industry so far, in it being a catalyst for change.  We feature the company in several areas of our book.

Your ideas are interesting, especially to a country like India where there is a less of a legacy-parc problem and where the costs of maintaining different sorts of fleets may make more sense than elsewhere.  Oil availability is another issue we have discussed at length and believe to be a growing motivator in the push for radical change in the industry.  We think a crisis will come much sooner than in 50 years.  We also think that road-pricing is inevitable.

As for working with us on our development of a new model for the industry, we would of course be interested.  We are looking for companies with whom we can work to push through new models.  

Let us know how your paper goes and what you think of the book when it comes out in a month!

With best wishes

Graeme Maxton

From:chandra.vikash@tcs.com
To:gpmaxton@autopolis.com
Cc:jwormald@autopolis.com ; jyoti.srivastava@tcs.com
Sent: Thursday, September 30, 2004 2:04 PM
Subject: Time for a model change – Horses for Courses

Dear Mr. Maxton,
Dear Mr. Wormald,

I eagerly await the November publication of your book “Time for a Model Change: Re-engineering the Global Automotive Industry”.

I present a paper at the ITS World Congress next month that proposes that two different kinds of vehicle – one for the short trip running on solar-electric power as “lighter neighborhood carts” and another for long trips running on a variety of fuel sources – hold the future. In this model,these two kinds of vehicles ply exclusively on streets and motorways respectively. Solar-electric elevators will cross people, bicycles and the lighter neighborhood vehicles over the motorways where they intersect with neighborhood streets.

This will require a “model change” that extends beyond the box – the automobile itself – in downstream activities as you suggest up to the end-of-life.

This will significantly impact the automobile industry as they pick up stakes in “mobility service provider” companies and differentiation is dispersed beyond the automobile box to the complete mobility experience. Their source of revenue will no longer be from selling ownership, mortgages or from “questionable” spare and after-sales service to individuals but from a mix of sale to wal-mart like retail chains and from class-mile fares where they either run or have stakes in “mobility service providers”.

As you rightly point out “the automobile industry has an influence so vast that it is often difficult to see.” With rising oil prices, oil-fueled war and genocides, localised pollution and global warming predictions, road accidents adversely affecting lives around the world that revolve around a decrepit model of the automobiles industry.

I would like to contribute to the search for a new model and propose to collaborate with you in your work.

Regards,
Chandra Vikash
Transportation Practice
Tata Consultancy Services
C-56, Phase II,
Noida – 201 305 UP
Phone Office: Direct: +91-120-246 1943
Board: +91-120-246 1001,2 extn. 3028
Fax: +91-120-246 1521, 246 1003

Solving ‘Super Wicked’ Problems with LACE-Gaia Model

By obsessing with ‘super wicked’ problems such as pandemics, war and genocide, global warming, ecological destruction, financial control, traffic jams, air pollution, farming crises you only make the problems bigger.

Leave aside the ignorant and evil, what amazes me is why so many of the ‘good’ folks are not good enough to realise that solutions are available to every damn problem in this world, however wicked or super wicked.

We only need to find them, organise and implement them. I feel their pain and anguish over how these problems are causing misery and deaths but simply fail to understand why they would not focus on the solutions instead.

Wake up folks before it is too late.

LACE-Gaia Model is one comprehensive solution framework to the ‘super wicked problems. It meets all the four additional criteria for solving ‘super wicked’ problems. I happened to see this coming, by God’s grace, nearly 25 years back as I share in this email y’day to my former super boss at Mastek Ashank Desai Founder-Chairman and founder of two important centres – Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Bombay and Centre for Leadership and Organisation Development at IIM Ahmedabad.

Sudhakar Ram, Group CEO and MD and fellow IIM Calcutta alumnus, was my boss. Unfortunately, Sudhakar who had the prescience to see the merit of the bold and futuristic MobilityXS solution in 2003 as I refer in the email, died in 2020. In 2004, I presented this solution in a paper at the Intelligent Transport System World Congress in Japan.

“In a sense, you could call this the era of profound confusion. We all know that more material possessions do not lead to happiness, yet en masse we pursue unending growth in consumption.”

We all know that our well-being is inextricably tied to the health of the larger natural systems within which we live, yet to date our response to the accelerating decline in key ecosystems around the world is woefully inadequate. We all know that relationships define our lives and sense of well-being, yet we study and work in institutions like schools and businesses driven by competition among individuals.

As a student recently expressed poignantly: We are more and more ‘connected’ and yet more and more separate.” Reconciling this strain of thought with practical applications on how to change the way we view the world and live in it, is Sudhakar Ram’s debut book, The Connected Age.”

Peter Senge in his foreword to Sudhakar Ram’s The Connected Age

Date: Sun 11 Feb, 2024, 6:30 PM
Subject: Solving Super Wicked problems with LACE-Gaia Model
To: <ad-clod@iima.ac.in>, <chr-adclod@iima.ac.in>, <ncn@iitb.ac.in>

Dear Ashank,

Hope you remember. I worked with Mastek in Intelligent Transport Systems in the year 2003. I later joined TCS.

Little did I realise that despite the warm and enthusiastic support I received from Sudhakar Ram for my solution framework for Mobility-as-a-Service ( I called it MobilityXS), the problems of traffic jams, road accidents, air pollution and land degradation that it was attempting to solve are now called Super Wicked problems and have monstrously grown to threaten human extinction in the intervening 20+ years. 

Hearty congratulations on setting up the Centre for Leadership and Organisation Development at IIMA and Centre for Policy Studies at IIT Bombay. I come back to you with lots of hope and enthusiasm for your help and support. I have shared the email with Prof Vohra and Prof Narayanan for their kind attention.

I would like to meet you in this regard to present the LACE-Gaia model that I have developed as a comprehensive solution framework for ‘super wicked’ problems. I need your help to frame this as a global research program and to communicate it to concerned people and organisations for its further research, development and implementation.

Kelly Levin, Benjamin Cashore, Graeme Auld and Steven Bernstein introduced the distinction between “wicked problems” and “super wicked problems” in a 2007 conference paper, which was followed by a 2012 journal article in Policy Sciences. In their discussion of global climate change, they define super wicked problems as having the following additional characteristics:

1. There is a significant time deadline on finding the solution – Needs urgent resolution as Emergency Response. LACE-Gaia model provides a global framework for localised abundance and circular economies in every human habitat around the world. Refer: https://chandravikash.wordpress.com/2020/04/25/local-is-the-future-sustainable-cities-congress-in-australia/

2. There is no central authority dedicated to finding a solution – Needs a World Government – Global Federation of Gaia / Earth Sansad Refer :  https://worldcouncilforhealth.org/multimedia/better-way-chandra-vikash-gaia-earth-sansad/

3. Those seeking to solve the problem are also causing it – Needs leaders with higher consciousness and spiritual practice

4. Certain policies irrationally impede future progress – Needs high level skills for analysis and integration as there are a large number of variables with trade-offs.

I would like to meet you to present the LACE-Gaia framework that I have developed. I need your help to frame this as a global research program and to communicate it to concerned people and organisations for its further research, development and implementation.

—

Best regards,

Chandra Vikash
Founder-Mentor
MaaS Movement Pvt Ltd
Delhi NCR
www.maasmvmt.com
chandra.vikash@maasmvmt.com