Learning from Traditional CitiesR. J. Vasavada, Consultant, EMBARQ India

Traditional cities were planned considering the mobility based on walking distances and non motorized transport systems

The growth of settlements followed the extensions of transit nodes and their evolutionary expansion within the urban structure

The scale of distances were primarily based on walking

There was a strict hierarchy of street network depending on the need for accessibility and scale of population distribution

This mobility network was graded depending on their distance between important nodes and the urban morphology was organic in nature retaining the balance between the density and the mobility needs

The modes of transport were controlled by human actions and never were in conflict with the primary right of human mobility

The advancements in mechanized transport provided a shift in traditional urban structures depending on the modes adopted and the scale of cities