IN-PERSON London. Section B

Abstract

Public transport aims to offer economic development, mobility, freedom, and environmental improvement. However, not everyone in cities has access to mobility and space and these promises of public transport are not shared equally. In this study I examine how public transport infrastructure, shapes experiences of heat stress in urban Islamabad. I focus on various modes of public transport, including the state-owned BRT (running since 2015) and other privately-run forms of public transport (such as 12-seater wagons, 6-seater mini MPVs and ride hailing services) within Islamabad, Pakistan to understand how the state reproduces technocratic, top-down understandings of urban development that mimic Western models meant to prioritize economic growth over other concerns. When it comes to urban transportation planning, the car is prioritized over all other modes of transport, thereby designing for the few over the needs of the many. With rising heat levels because of climate change, navigating the city has become increasingly difficult for those who don’t own private vehicles. Methodologically, I have conducted ethnographic fieldwork over the course of one year (from August 2022-2023) and completed around 100 semi-structured interviews with users of public transport, state and city officials, transport engineers, urban planners and environmental activists. This paper reveals the assumptions embedded in the design and provision of public transport infrastructure and how it impacts low-income residents of the city, particularly with regards the increasing levels of heat stress due to climate change. The findings show changing weather patterns and extreme temperatures are affecting the health and wellbeing of low-income residents who already have access to limited means of transportation. Meanwhile, access to physical mobility remains a bigger challenge for women as compared to men. Other major challenges include time poverty and problems with last mile connectivity.