SCALING PUBLIC BUS TRANSPORT

Scaling public bus transport is necessary for sustainable development goals.

The impact of lockdown due to Covid-19 pandemic has been severe in the case of public bus transport in India. From March 2020 to July 2020, the revenue generation ability of public bus transport organisations was most affected. When operations resumed at the end of July 2020 or early August 2020, the challenges included a severely depleted working capital. Enjoying the status of an essential service at one end and grappling with numerous challenges at the other, the public bus transport organisations have been finding new ways to succeed since then. They are, according to Jan Deman, Director, Busworld, seeking new ways to get public funding. Stating that it is necessary to understand that no public transport would be sustainable without public funding, Deman mentioned that the pandemic has significantly changed the industry dynamics.

Emphasising that the private bus sector in India, which commands 80 per cent of the entire bus industry in India, too is in need of public funding to get back on its feet, Deman averred, “Public transport is clearly vulnerable and undervalued, and needs access to public funding.” Dr. Surendrakumar Bagde. General Manager, BrihanMumbai Electric Supply & Transport Undertaking (BEST), expressed that BEST buses proved to be of much use to essentialduty workers during the Covid-19 induced lockdown. He added that they have been successfully carrying out wetlease operations in Mumbai through four operators and induction of 1000 buses. Of the opinion that it is necessary to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly public transport service, Dr. Bagde said that his organisation is looking to operate 10000 buses for Mumbai’s 20 million population. Looking at operating a fleet of 3000 buses on wet-lease, BEST is said to be looking at a fleet of 3337 buses by 2025.

BUILDING SUSTENANCE