The Indian Institute of Science- Bangalore is one of the oldest and top research institutes in India. It has pioneered many path-breaking developments in various fields of science including nuclear technologies, space research, biological sciences and computing and is known for its quality of higher education. Established in 1909 by Sir Jamshedji Tata, a world renowned industrialist.
Indian Institute of Science Bangalore Campus
Besides being known for its higher education and research, IISc-B is also famous for its sprawling green campus. Not only does it make sure to not cause any damage to the environment, it also repairs those caused by the bustling city around. Located at an approximate distance of 4 km from the Bangalore City Railway Station, it makes the best of its available resources and it self-sustaining. It has all kinds of facilities ranging from play grounds to gyms to beauty salons to restaurants to shopping centers to hostels to canteens.
Statue of Sir Jamshedji Tata
The campus, spread over about 400 acres, is a zero-waste one. Mobility across the campus, which was initially an issue, was solved innovatively by the institute. The concentration of motor vehicles is very minimal inside the campus as compared to the city traffic outside it. To curb the number of cars and two-wheelers, the campus has taken up two unique initiatives.
The first step taken by the campus was to launch the Namma Cycle service in the year 2012. This bicycle sharing system has been tried and tested before and was implemented here too. Prior to this, the campus relied on used bicycles left behind by students. However, maintenance was a major issue. Namma Cycle was an apt solution to all of this.
Namma Cycle Service in IISc
Users are given two options- to facilitate of the service as a registered user at a cost of Rs. 100 per month, allowing unlimited usage of the vehicles. The second option is the ‘pay as you go’, wherein the rates increase with the amount of time of usage. The vast population within the campus and also the visitors to it rely primarily on this service for transport. With an increasing number of cycles, the service has made an immense contribution to the environment.
Besides the Namma Cycle Service, IISc is also looking to implement an E-Mobility Service. This service provides extra-large electric golf carts that are to shuttle along pre-defined routes in the campus. This project aims at curbing the four-wheeler traffic across the campus and to reduce the number of vehicles on the campus overall. A large share of the trips made on campus are via motor vehicles at present. The use of electric vehicles will reduce both noise and air pollution on the green campus. The use of solar panels is also being looked into.
Electric vehicles in IISc
The Indian Institute of Science Campus has set forth an example, inspiring other campuses across the city to go green. With increasing traffic and reducing greenery, this is a move that is required to rejuvenate the city and restore it to its former glory and health. This is indeed one of the truly green campuses in Bangalore city