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Personal Statement (700 words): In a city that you know, describe an urban problem that concerns or
motivates you. This could be a local issue in your neighbourhood or a bigger issue that effects your or
any other city (transport or housing, for example). Please describe why this issue is important or
relevant for you.
[624 words]
Back in 2004, when I was a school student and residing in Bangalore, I remember being fascinated by the
public transport here: the integrated transport hub at Majestic, provision of ladies seats on the buses,
conductors who made sure such rules were followed. Later on, though I was not in the city, I read about
the bus agency (BMTC) doing financially well and being in profit. It was the only agency, among the
major ones in Indian cities, to do so. However, when I shifted to Bangalore in 2013, I heard numerous
acquaintances complaining of the bus system here. Even I noticed several issues whenever I travelled in
them. It would take much longer to travel by the bus than by an own vehicle. Buses were not available
late in the night, some would not stop at the designated bus stops and conductors would not give tickets
for your journey. Travelling from one destination to the other would require me to change three buses
and there was no connectivity to many destinations. As per Census data, Bangalore still has a large share
of its population travelling by the bus. However, this may be changing with the increasing income among
the residents, availability of loans and EMIs for buying private vehicles, the availability of taxi services at
the doorstep and the inconveniences of travelling by the public transport.
An inefficient public transport system will lead people to start travelling by their own vehicles which will
cause more congestion on the already crowded roads of the city. This is already happening in Bangalore
with people dreading to go out at peak hours and structuring their entire day around travelling.
Another problem related to mobility and to usage of public transport is the lack of pedestrian
infrastructure. As per a study by Janaagraha, a non-profit organization, more than 40% of Bangalores
roads do not have walkable footpaths. Thus, even if there is decent bus connectivity between two
locations, the commuter might still not prefer the bus considering the uncomfortable or unsafe last-mile
walk. The bus system also needs good integration with the other modes of travel such as the metro
system and the railway system. With the metro network being completed, there is a large scope for the
bus system to realign their routes and cater to the new demand.
I see public transport as a solution to a multitude of problems in the city. It can decongest the city roads
and reduce the emissions, making the city air healthier. It can reduce travel time and the need for large
expensive road infrastructure. It also provides a safe travel option for women, in comparison to taxis,
and a cheaper option for the economically weak who cannot afford own private vehicles.
Bangalore is slowing taking new initiatives in the mobility sector. BMTC is reorganizing their bus routes
along certain roads and has also started introducing the electronic fare collection system. Few of the
roads in the city are being redone with proper footpaths under Tender SURE. The metro is nearing
completion and is anticipated to provide connectivity, bypassing the city centers traffic. These will
surely bring out a further set of challenges with everyone needs to be prepared for. Being a professional
working on cities, a better understanding of the other subtler problems and factors is required. Also, the
technical understanding of the situation and the possible ways forward, keeping in mind the larger
framework in which these issues are placed, is necessary. With this knowledge, I will be in a better place

to work towards improving the mobility issues in the city or any other similar city. At a larger scale, these
improvements will impact every city dwellers life and improve the overall livability of the city.

Statement of Motivation (300 words): Why do you want to join the Urban Fellows Program?
[299 words]
Cities are complex, dynamic and thus need to be understood from a variety of standpoints. The Urban
Fellows Program looks like a platform to do precisely this. Through my bachelor program in physical
planning, I have learnt to spatially understand the city. My work experience has shown me that to bring
about a change in the city, I need to have a more diverse set of knowledge, wide range of practical
skillset and ability to use numerous mediums to communicate. In addition, I want to specialize my
knowledge in the transport sector. All this the program provides in several ways.
The program, through the skill labs, will teach about project and financial management which is an often
neglected topic but a vital need in practice. The elective courses will also put me in touch with the realworld schemes and give me an idea of how to utilize the learned skills within the scheme provisions to
bring about change.
Another interesting aspect of the program is the skill lab which looks at media and film as a medium to
bring about the issues of the urban. In the Urban Lens festival which I attended, I observed how
impactful visual medium is, in putting across a message. This is an area I wish to explore through the
program and the option of using it in the practica component is an added plus, where I can try it out.
Overall, the Urban Fellows Program meets a lot of my learning needs and is also a great opportunity to
learn and gain knowledge from experts in various related fields in the urban sector. The diversity of the
faculty and the expected students will be a new experience for me, where I can converse about my
perspective and ideas and grow as a professional.