Apoorva Nawani

In India, natural waterbodies, like rivers, have been the spiritual, cultural, and ecological focal point of a city. This has led to the development of urban spaces like riverbanks and riverfronts. Varanasi is famously known for its riverfronts, ghats, and the Ganga River, while the same case falters under the shores of the Varuna River. The Varuna Riverfront is a critical natural asset to the area’s overall macro-level heritage, mobility, and sustainability. This study documents 10 sites along the Varuna River from September 2024 to March 2025 to assess the pedestrian experience and activity along the stretch and pinpoint the responsible factors. Findings indicate that lack of supporting infrastructure, pollution of the river and riverbanks, and encroachment result in an unsafe environment, which negatively impacts the pedestrian behaviour of the people. Solutions, including urban riverfront redesign, implementation of blue-green infrastructure, and increased public awareness, can significantly improve the scenario.

It is known that Electric Vehicles substantially reduce transport fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Therefore, governments worldwide promote EVs. The Government of India (GoI) has also launched a series of policies and schemes to help promote the adoption of electric vehicles. The first national mission document, the “National Electric Mobility Mission Plan”, was launched in 2013, followed by “FAME (Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid & Electric Vehicles),” in 2019. Other than this, different states have also produced different state policies to promote the adoption of electric vehicles. With different market players like TATA Motors and Mahindra producing electric cars for Indian consumers, it becomes essential to study the willingness of people to adopt this technology at the consumer level. To study this, we will apply the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model and assess the factors involved in adopting the EV at the consumer level in Varanasi, India. The study will help in understating the willingness of people to adopt electric vehicles and also expand on the knowledge of how to promote these automobiles. It will eventually lead to identifying the needs of people in the sector of electric vehicles to form better sustainable transportation.