The developing world is leapfrogging developed countries when it comes to urban transport, with the city of Ahmedabad, India, today announced as winner of the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award for the successful implementation of Janmarg, India’s first full bus rapid transit (BRT) system.

“This year’s Sustainable Transport Award nominees demonstrate the relevance of the developing world in the fight against climate change while improving citizen’s quality of life and enhancing their international competitiveness,” said Walter Hook, Executive Director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. “Cities have the power to significantly reduce carbon emissions by actively seeking ways to improve transport.”

The Sustainable Transport Award is given annually to a city that uses transport innovations to increase mobility for all residents, while reducing transportation greenhouse and air pollution emissions and increasing cyclist and pedestrian safety and access.

Ahmedabad’s Janmarg BRT system is a sustainable model for the future of transportation in India, where a quarter of the world’s population lives. “BRT systems can positively impact air quality if car and motorbike drivers start taking trips by bus,” said Sophie Punte, Executive Director of the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-ASIA). “This is particularly important in Asian cities, where air pollution levels are often far above guidelines of the World Health Organization.”

Swami Vivekananda, known in his pre-monastic life as Narendra Nath Datta, was born in an affluent family inKolkata on 12 January 1863.  His father,Vishwanath Datta, was a successful attorney with interests in a wide range of subjects, and his mother,Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was endowed with deep devotion, strong character and other qualities. A precocious boy, Narendra excelled in music, gymnastics and studies.  By the time he graduated from Calcutta University, he had acquired a vast knowledge of different subjects, especially Western philosophy and history.  Born with a yogic temperament, he used to practise meditation even from his boyhood, and was associated with Brahmo Movement for some time.

With Sri Ramakrishna

At the threshold of youth Narendra had to pass through a period of spiritual crisis when he was assailed by doubts about the existence of God.  It was at that time he first heard about Sri Ramakrishna from one of his English professors at college.  One day in November 1881, Narendra went to meet Sri Ramakrishna who was staying at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar.  He straightaway asked the Master a question which he had put to several others but had received no satisfactory answer: “Sir, have you seen God?”  Without a moment’s hesitation, Sri Ramakrishna replied: “Yes, I have.  I see Him as clearly as I see you, only in a much intenser sense.”

Apart from removing doubts from the mind of Narendra, Sri Ramakrishna won him over through his pure, unselfish love.  Thus began a guru-disciple relationship which is quite unique in the history of spiritual masters.  Narendra now became a frequent visitor to Dakshineshwar and, under the guidance of the Master, made rapid strides on the spiritual path.  At Dakshineshwar, Narendra also met several young men who were devoted to Sri Ramakrishna, and they all became close friends.

The Ahmedabad Janmarg BRTS has been nominated for the 2010 Sustainable Transport Award to be conferred on January 12 in Washington DC.

Ahmedabad will compete with BRTS systems in Cali city of Columbia, Curitiba city of Brazil, Guadalajara city in Mexico and Johannesburg in South Africa.

The BRTS systems were chosen by a select group of independent institutions like ITDP, EMBARQ, GTZ, ICLEI, UITP and UNDP.

“This is a proud moment for the city as Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited (AJL) had not applied for the award. Key independent institutions who were part of the award committee were in the city to study our BRTS earlier in the year and made their observations and judged us on certain scientific parameters,” said municipal commissioner IP Gautam.