There has been a massive slide in public transport ridership — particularly the use of buses — in cities, said a study by the Centre for Science and Environment.
Since 2013, the Delhi Transport Corporation bus ridership has been declining at an average rate of 8.88% per annum.
The Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), which has witnessed ridership growth in the past decade, is now facing accumulated losses leading to withdrawal of buses from low revenue-generating routes.
Daily ridership of Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) buses has fallen by 40% in the past seven years. Ahmedabad Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has expanded its network from from a 35-km corridor to 125-km but has not registered an increase in passenger traffic.
Cities like Vijayawada, which made an early transition to BRT, have stopped operating the system, said the CSE, which released its findings as part of an ongoing conclave in Delhi on ‘Clean and Sustainable Mobility.’
Key problem
The key problem, according to the organisation, is that several governments were subsidising and funding Metro train systems at the cost of buses. This, even as Metro fares were becoming unaffordable for large swathes of the population. The share of public transport is expected to decrease from 75.5% in 2000-01 to 44.7% in 2030-31, while the share of personal transport will be over 50%.
“The only way cities can reverse this trend is by ensuring a mass scale-up and modernisation of integrated public transport systems to provide attractive, comfortable and reliable options, supported by walking and cycling infrastructure,” said Anumita Roychowdhury, executive director, research and advocacy, CSE.
The CSE’s investigations were triggered by consequences of hike in the fares of the Delhi Metro last year, which saw a sudden dip in ridership – of approximately 4.2 lakh passengers by 2018. The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has contested these figures.
Estimates by the National Transport Development Policy Committee state that by 2031, an investment of ₹10,900 billion to ₹18,500 billion will be required in urban transport. Of this, approximately 55% will go to public transport. Urban India will require approximately 1,96,000 buses with an investment of ₹1,181 billion by 2031.
Outlay for Metro projects
The Urban Affairs Ministry had increased outlay for Metro projects from 12% in 2009 to 54% in 2017, but there were “...no commensurate increase for buses or for system integration — though buses carry several times more commuters,” the CSE added.