ITDP India

Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide

Empowering private bus operators to drive India’s e-mobility future through leasing of e-buses

by

As published in Economic Times.

Imagine a scene: an Indian city stretches into the distance, the air crisp and clear. A sleek electric bus glides past, its silent hum a stark contrast to the sputtering diesel giants of the past. This vision, once a futuristic dream, is now closer than ever to becoming reality. However, a critical question remains – how can we incentivise private bus operators, the backbone of India’s bus transport network, to become active participants in this electric revolution? The answer lies in a powerful approach: leasing.

India’s bus landscape is vast, with about 18 lakh buses operating currently1, catering to over 30 crore daily passenger trips2. To achieve India’s ambitious 2070 net-zero vision, the electrification of buses is essential. Studies have shown that e-buses can significantly reduce emissions and propel the decarbonisation of the transport sector. 

Of these, the private sector owns and operates a whopping 93%. However, only a negligible fraction of these buses are electric. To achieve 100% electrification of the private sector by 2050, a massive leap is needed, with over 760,000 e-buses3.

The primary hurdle for private operators lies not in adopting the change in technology from diesel/CNG to electric buses but in the high upfront cost of e-buses compared to traditional diesel counterparts. This barrier, coupled with difficulties securing financing due to the perceived risks associated with new technology, can easily derail the transition. Leasing can be a game-changer, offering a practical and financially attractive solution for private players to embrace e-mobility.

Leasing of e-buses

The acceleration of e-bus adoption requires new business models to propel the transition. One such emerging model is leasing. In the lease model, the lessor (a bank/bus manufacturer/ rolling stock company, etc.) can provide the bus, including an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC), battery replacements and insurance, while the lessee (the operators) can bear the staff, permit, and energy costs associated with operating an e-bus. Under the current model, where the buses are owned and operated by the private sector, the operators bear all these responsibilities, leading to significant losses during the first two years of operation and will be able to achieve the same profit margin as diesel buses only after four years. The lease model,

on the other hand, can offset the capital expenditure to financers while utilising the operational expertise of the private operators. 

By mitigating upfront costs and offering operational advantages, leasing removes a significant barrier for private players to enter the e-bus market. Widespread adoption of e-buses enabled by the leasing model can contribute significantly to India’s clean air and sustainability goals by reducing tailpipe emissions and fostering a cleaner transport ecosystem.

The financial and operational advantages of leasing

E-buses are more viable than diesel buses in the long run due to reduced energy consumption per kilometre travelled, cheaper cost of energy/fuel and fewer moving parts as compared to diesel/CNG buses. This lowers maintenance requirements and costs, thus resulting in overall lower cost per kilometre (CPK) over its lifetime. However, the high upfront cost of e-buses can create a significant initial financial burden for the operators. Leasing dismantles this barrier by spreading the cost of the e-bus over the lease term, significantly reducing the required upfront investment. This allows operators to conserve capital for core business operations and growth initiatives. E-buses require a minimum lease period of 9 years to make them financially viable, with a lease rent ranging from INR 1.5 – 2.5 lakh per month. With leasing, operators can earn around INR 4.5 per km – matching current profits.  

Figure: Cumulative and year-on-year profits (in INR per km) for owning a diesel vs leasing an e-bus4

The profits made due to e-bus transition can be shared to create lease models that are more attractive for financers, ensuring estimated profits for the lessor to the tune of INR 0.5 – 2 crore over a 12-year life of the bus. 

The benefits of leasing extend far beyond just finances. Leasing models often come with comprehensive maintenance contracts, including battery replacements and insurance coverage. This frees up valuable time and resources for operators, allowing them to focus on core competencies like route planning, scheduling, and customer service. Additionally, lessors typically have expertise in e-bus technology and maintenance. Operators can leverage this expertise to ensure optimal performance and uptime of their e-buses, maximising efficiency and profitability.

Enabling the leasing of e-buses in India through regulatory support

There are several ways to ensure that the leasing model works in India: 

  1. Nudging financiers to provide buses on lease and developing risk-hedging mechanisms: The national government can promote e-bus leasing by nudging banks and financial institutions to provide e-buses on a leasing model, potentially through supportive policies. However, the risks associated with technological advancements, market volatility, and regulatory changes pose significant challenges. To mitigate these risks, the government must establish robust risk-hedging mechanisms. These mechanisms, which are currently underdeveloped, require comprehensive planning and collaboration between stakeholders, including policymakers, financial institutions, and bus manufacturers.
  2. Legalising transferable permits: State governments should consider legalising transferable permits to accommodate lease models where different entities can own and operate e-buses. This would allow permit holders to operate self-owned or leased e-buses on designated routes. Doing so will create a more flexible environment for private operators, allowing even small operators to transition to electric buses easily. 
  3. Flexible scheduling in permits: Regional Transport Authorities (RTAs) should consider permitting flexible trip schedules and extend service times by 2-3 hours to compensate for the additional charging time needed for e-buses. This is necessary because opportunity charging, while beneficial for extending the range of e-buses, requires additional time compared to traditional refuelling methods for CNG/diesel buses.  By doing so, RTAs can ensure e-buses have adequate charging time without disrupting service reliability. This would also ensure that the transition to e-buses does not compromise the convenience and accessibility of public transport.

Way Forward

Leasing offers a compelling path for private sector participation in India’s e-bus revolution. By overcoming the financial hurdles and leveraging operational expertise, leasing can empower private bus operators to embrace clean technologies and contribute to a more sustainable future. 

The path towards a greener future requires a collaborative effort involving all stakeholders. The government can play a vital role by creating a policy environment that incentivises leasing and simplifies the regulatory framework for e-buses. Financial institutions can develop innovative financing solutions tailored to the needs of the e-bus sector. Bus operators must be open to exploring new business models like leasing and actively seek partnerships with lessors with proven expertise.

As the silent hum of e-buses replaces the roar of diesel engines, we will know we are collectively paving the way for a cleaner and healthier tomorrow.

Written by Vaishali Singh, Manager – Transport Systems and Electric Mobility

  1. MORTH ↩︎
  2. Calculated by ITDP with inputs from BOCI and State Transport Undertaking Profile and Performance Reports ↩︎
  3. Estimated by ITDP India ↩︎
  4. The Road Ahead For Private Electric Buses In India, ITDP-CEEW-SGA, 2024 ↩︎

Pimpri Chinchwad’s transformation: A story of perseverance and resilience amid urbanisation

by

If there were a city in India ready to narrate an inspiring saga of transformation of its urban mobility, Pimpri Chinchwad would undoubtedly be at the forefront. Picture Pimpri Chinchwad as the protagonist in its own journey—a courageous figure embarking on a quest to create a better city for its people by persevering to transform the way people move, the way people experience their streets, and the way it sets the foundation for resilience. Pimpri Chinchwad’s quest remains a work in progress, with much more to be accomplished, but it has started its journey with a realisation—a realisation that change is necessary for the city’s future prosperity amid rapid urbanisation, which sparks hope. 

The plot: an ongoing challenge of traffic, poor air quality, and people’s safety

The plot of this storyline starts with the pressing issues of traffic congestion, declining air quality, and people’s safety, driving the necessity for change. The vehicle population of over 21 lakhs (2024) is racing to match that of humans, with projections suggesting that the city’s population has crossed 24 lakhs. Given the surge in vehicles, it comes as no surprise that in November 2023, the city’s PM 2.5 levels reached a staggering 103-121 µg/m³, well surpassing the prescribed daily average concentration limit of 60µg/m³. 

Safety in terms of public health and the risk to life from road accidents was also a significant factor in changing how people move. In 2022, Pimpri Chinchwad recorded 1051 road accidents, and over 370 lost their lives in road accidents—four times higher than in 2018. 

The silver lining: city leaders stepped up to initiate action

For more than a decade, these challenges have persisted, placing Pimpri Chinchwad at a perpetual crossroads where it must make a critical decision: either expand road infrastructure to accommodate the growing influx of vehicles or prioritise the safety and welfare of its residents.

In navigating this decision, a silver lining has emerged as Pimpri Chinchwad discovered a steadfast ally in its most important supporting characters—dedicated city Municipal Commissioners who have championed sustainable mobility since 2018. These city leaders embraced the pivotal role of crafting policies and implementing sustainable mobility interventions—the only way to reduce congestion, minimise emissions, and improve safety. They have done this by promoting public transport with 50 kilometres of the Rainbow Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), plying a fleet of over 450 electric buses, building over 100 kms of walking and cycling networks, and laying a robust foundation through policies—like a Non-motorised Transport Policy — and capacity building for the longevity of its efforts. 

The rising action: the city created better infrastructure to move people

One of the earliest and most significant actions in this saga was the city leaders’ initiative to take action on the ground. In 2018, the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) successfully implemented the Rainbow BRTS connecting to its twin city, Pune. The BRTS changed public transport in the region, offering commuters a reliable, efficient, and sustainable mode of travel within and between the two cities. Operated by the Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML), this system spans four corridors, covering a distance of 50.5 km and serving 2.88 lakh passengers daily within Pimpri Chinchwad’s city limits. The city, along with PMPML, is continuing to make improvements to the system by revamping corridor intersections, installing security cameras, and upgrading the Intelligent Transportation Management System (ITMS) to boost ridership. 

In addition to the BRTS, the electrification of buses serves as a pivotal turning point in the city’s storyline. It represented a moment of revelation, where the city realised the importance of embracing cleaner, more eco-friendly transport options. Between 2018 and 2019, 150 e-buses were introduced to serve the twin cities, and the fleet has since expanded to over 450, with an additional 200 in the pipeline. Over 70% of them are already operating on the BRT corridor. 

Around the same time, the city realised that relying solely on public transport wasn’t enough to create a captivating saga; it needed supplementary initiatives such as walking and cycling—after all, more than 30% of the city’s trips are by walk and cycle. The city’s Urban Streetscape Programme was launched in 2018, drawing inspiration from successful models of Chennai and Pune’s street programmes to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in the city. This impact of this programme, combined with the endeavours of Smart City Ltd, resulted in over 45 km of streets being revamped with wider footpaths, safer pedestrian crossings, and landscaping—Linear Garden, Patil Street, and Nigdi Road are great examples—with an additional 65 km in progress. 

Linear Garden Road designed by Prasanna Desai Architects

Additionally, Pimpri Chinchwad’s active participation in the national Streets4People and Cycles4Change Challenge, hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MOHUA), enabled them to develop innovative designs, employing a Test-Learn-Scale approach. This involved implementing tactical urbanism interventions on the ground to test out solutions and subsequently expanding successful initiatives.

Handle-bar surveys for Cycle4Change Challenge

However, as the city delved deeper into these initiatives, it became evident that these projects were not forming a connected network for pedestrian or cyclist movement which led to the inception of the ‘Harit Setu’ Masterplan, translating to ‘green connectivity.’ When implemented, it would transform the city into a 15-minute cycling-and-walking-friendly haven by enhancing existing connections and creating new green links. The pilot implementation in the Pradhikaran neighbourhood will serve as a learning experience to inform a scale-up strategy, enabling PCMC to expand walking and cycling infrastructure and transform one neighbourhood at a time.

The turning point: Pimpri Chinchwad implemented policies and strengthened the team’s capacity for resilience and expansion of its efforts

Pimpri Chinchwad recognised that while building infrastructure was vital, strategic planning for resilience and scalability was equally imperative. As the storyline progressed, Pimpri Chinchwad embedded policies to ensure stability and consistency in planning and decision-making to safeguard these initiatives against changes in leadership or priorities. 

As part of this effort, the city has begun addressing the significant challenge of managing on-street parking, which has been a major concern. The city remains dedicated to enhancing parking solutions through area-level plans and establishing a robust institutional framework. They collaborated with consultants to conduct comprehensive studies, serving as the foundation for the Parking Policy adopted in 2018. The city is looking to revise the policy in 2024 based on their learnings from parking management experience to date and make enforcement more stringent.

In 2022, they also adopted a Non-motorised Transport (NMT) Policy to achieve a target of 90% of trips made by public transport, walking, or cycling by 2036. The policy focuses on creating a safe, seamless, and pleasant network of top-notch infrastructure for walking and cycling in the city. It also goes beyond infrastructure development to integrate sustainable environmental planning and utility management to boost quality of life, spur economic growth, and preserve ecological well-being.

Adoption of Pimpri-Chinchwad’s Non-Motorised Transport Policy

The city needed internal capacity, skills, and expertise to implement policies and projects effectively, hence, investing in team development became crucial. In 2017, PCMC organised workshops and site visits to enhance skills and knowledge. Recently, city officials and engineers involved in mobility projects have pursued Masters programs in transport planning, completed national road safety audit courses, and participated in certified programs to build expertise further.

A twist in the plot: financing sustainable mobility projects

In Pimpri Chinchwad’s story, a pivotal plot twist arises, revealing a significant gap in financing for sustainable mobility projects. A staggering 58% of the total allocated transport budget of 1168 cr in 2024-25 was earmarked for vehicle-centric projects, such as grade separators and road development, which offer temporary remedies to congestion but exacerbate the problem in the long term. Consequently, just 5% (110 km) of PCMC’s streets have been transformed thus far. To meet the ambitious targets outlined in its NMT Policy, PCMC must strive to implement a minimum of 25 km of better streets every year until 2035, which requires an annual investment of 200-250 crore solely for street development.

Additionally, there is an urgent need to increase the number of buses, as the current ratio of 31 buses per lakh population falls short of the desired benchmark of 60 buses per lakh population set up by MoHUA. PMPML currently operates a fleet of 2,200 buses, while the benchmark suggests a fleet of 5,200 buses is necessary. Out of this, Pune requires 2,700 buses, PCMC requires 1,800 buses, and the Metropolitan Region outside both Municipal limits requires 700 buses. To address this demand, PCMC requires an investment of approximately 930 crore, solely for bus fleet augmentation. 

Shortfall of buses in Pimpri-Chinchwad

Presently, PCMC allocates 495 crore to street initiatives and public transport combined. While this falls short of the funds needed for street and public transport projects, it is a 100% increase in the funds allocated for such projects compared to the 2023-2024 budget. Amidst these challenges, PCMC is actively exploring diverse funding avenues, including the Smart Cities Mission, municipal bonds, and funding through development banks, in a concentrated effort to secure the necessary resources for its initiatives.

The climax

PCMC acknowledges the funding shortfall for sustainable projects but is working towards establishing a strong foundation to scale up efforts. It is initiating a Sustainability Cell to prioritise innovative and sustainable approaches in city planning, alongside the establishment of an Urban Mobility Department to consolidate mobility-related efforts. This initiative aims to enhance coordination within PCMC departments, and include various civil society organisations (CSOs) and experts to streamline collaboration.

The city has become a model of collaboration, working with CSOs and community groups to lead the shift towards sustainable mobility. It recognises that meaningful change requires involvement from all stakeholders sharing a common vision.

In conclusion, Pimpri Chinchwad’s tale is not just one of transformation—it embodies perseverance and resilience. With sustained efforts, the city is witnessing the results of its hard work. The city was recognised as one of the top 11 cities in the C4C and S4P challenge, as well as being selected as one of the 10 cities for the Bloomberg Initiative for Cycling Infrastructure (BICI). Instead of pausing, Pimpri Chinchwad is intensifying its commitment, evaluating the impact of initiatives like street assessments, and amplifying successful strategies. This forward-thinking approach reaffirms the city’s dedication to progress and prosperity, setting a promising course for its future.

Written by Kashmira Dubash

Technical inputs from Pranjal Kulkarni and Rutuja Nivate

Leadership Matters: Kunal Kumar IAS in conversation with Shreya Gadepalli

by

How can Indian cities embark on a journey of sustainable development? What challenges do local governments face while implementing innovative solutions for urban development? How difficult is it to drive a national mission in a vast country like India? How can cities in India and across the world respond to climate change?

These are fundamental questions for any student of urban development. Kunal Kumar IAS, Joint Secretary, Smart Cities Mission, Ministry of  Housing and Urban Affairs, discusses the roles, experiences, and challenges for government officials and institutions in an exclusive conversation with Shreya Gadepalli, the South Asia Programme Lead, ITDP.

Drawing from his early experience as the Municipal Commissioner of Pune, Kunal Kumar highlights the importance of democratic participation in the city’s meteoric rise as a haven for sustainable urban growth. Mr. Kumar especially stresses the need for administrators to build coalitions and act as anchors to achieve the grand visions for the city’s development. Most importantly, the effective use of communication in getting people to understand policies and governance measures go a long way towards their successful implementation.

In his current role in the national government, Mr. Kumar believes that strategic assistance—which involves giving freedom and enhancing the adaptive capabilities of cities to experiment—needs to be prioritised for the growth of the urban system as a whole. Moreover, Mr. Kumar also highlights how decentralisation must become a key feature of governance. The lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic confirm this trend. Cities that were flexible and adaptive enough to take decisions were able to effectively contain the spread of the disease. 

Lastly, Mr. Kumar argues that for the sustainable growth of cities in the country and across the world, there is an urgent need to leverage data and digital technologies today to enhance decision making. Evidence-based policymaking in a participatory manner must become the norm for policies and planning in the coming years. 

Written by Avishek Jha

This video is a part of MOBILIZE Virtual 2020: Building Collective Action for the Next Decade.

Spotlight on Pune

by

Every year, the Sustainable Transport Award is given to a city that has implemented innovative projects to improve mobility,  reduce air pollution and greenhouse emissions, and improve safety and access for pedestrians and cyclists. Pune was awarded the Sustainable Transport Award 2020, making it the second Indian city after Ahmedabad to win this award. 

In the last two decades, Pune has shown an extraordinary commitment to improving sustainable mobility for its people by taking steps to improve walking, cycling, and public transport across the city. This transformation has only been possible through Pune’s relentless efforts to expand sustainable transport infrastructure by allocating resources, implementing institutional reforms, and building capacity. Over the years, the city has forged partnerships with technical experts, civil society groups, and educational institutions to transform Pune into a lighthouse for other cities.

In this video, Pranjal Kulkarni—Senior Research Associate, Urban Development at the ITDP India Programme—takes you through Pune’s journey of ensuring safe, affordable, and sustainable transport with a showcase of the city’s achievements in non-motorised and public transport, and exclusive interviews with the city’s officials who have enabled the city’s dramatic transformation.

Written by Avishek Jha

This video is a part of MOBILIZE Virtual 2020: Building Collective Action for the Next Decade.

COVID Response: Post-lockdown Guidelines for Bus Operations

by

An infographic blog

The COVID-19 outbreak has posed unprecedented challenges for public bus users and service providers. To help build their resilience during this pandemic, ITDP India Programme has prepared a simple step-by-step guidelines document for the public bus service providers in India– providing recommendations to ensure the smooth and safe functioning of our city bus services.

With a fleet of 1.4 lakh buses, the public bus services in India serve nearly 7 crore passengers everyday and operate over 1645 crore km annually. These guidelines will help them bounce back after the lockdown and serve the people safely.

Designed by: Aishwarya Soni
Guidelines prepared by: Anuj Dhole, Kawin Kumaran, Vaishali Singh, Sivasubramaniam Jayaraman

COVID InFocus : How are transit agencies handling COVID-19?

by

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought most countries around the world to a halt, resulting in the suspension of all non-essential services, including religious gatherings, cultural events, and commercial activity. However, public transport has taken the biggest hit, a result of people practising social-distancing and staying away from public spaces. In cities like Delhi, San Francisco, and Jakarta, buses, the metro, and train services have been suspended or reduced to prevent infections from spreading. This has led to some backlash as well, considering the need of these services for people on the frontline like medical professionals, sanitation workers, and law officers. We take a look at how cities around the world have strategised this change to ensure safety, hygiene and adequate resources. 

Proactive measures to manage essential workforces

Bus operators have retrofitted opening windows to help increase air circulation
Source – Yale Z Wong

For cities to deal with this pandemic, it is important to adopt interventions that can be implemented quickly and smoothly. Apart from individual protective actions, transport authorities need to evaluate their challenges to formulate a response plan, while also raising awareness about the situation. “To increase natural ventilation and reduce the risk of infection, some operators have retrofitted window vents to air-conditioned fleets. Hong Kong rail operator MTR is even using a fleet of cleaning robots to disinfect trains and stations. In Shanghai, ultraviolet light is being used to disinfect buses. To increase the frequency of cleaning, perhaps a government authority could organise “rapid response” cleaners stationed at terminals. While this might cause delays between trips, it would reduce the pressure on individual operators. Having a cleaning crew work across multiple operators would also be more efficient”, writes Yale Z Wong for The Conversation. 

Combating COVID-19 through Strategic Working Groups

All bus and taxi drivers have to wear a face mask and have their temperatures checked on a daily basis
Source – The Shenzhen Bus Group

The Shenzhen Bus Group (SZBG), China is the largest electric public transportation operator in the world, who quickly came up with a strategy in January to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In a webinar organised by SZBG, Hallie Liao, Head of International Development, SZBG and Joe Ma, Deputy General Manager, SZBG share the various measures taken by the company to ensure the safety of the public as well as the employees. ”The most important thing we learnt was to establish an Emergency Health and Safety Working Group at the beginning of the crisis to control and give out strategies from the top”, Hallie explains. Stressing on the need for a unified communication platform, robust management of staff movement, and emergency procurement procedures, the webinar also highlights their plan for resumption of business, initiatives taken by taxi services, and an Intelligent Operation system deployed for prevention and control. Watch the full presentation at Transformative Mobility Urban Initiative (TUMI). 

COVID-19 and the Situation of Public Transport in India

A worker wearing protective gear disinfecting a public bus, in New Delhi. 
Source – Reuters

In India, the imposed 21-day lockdown between March 25 and April 14 has resulted in a closure of all rail systems, intercity bus travel, and ride-hailing services. However, limited public transport has been included as one of the 10 essential services, in order to keep cities moving during the pandemic. “State Transport Undertakings (STUs) in-charge of public bus services across India are essentially acting as the Guardians of Mobility during these troubled times. They are maintaining a minimum services level to ensure that essential services workers are able to travel to their home and work, few cities are ferrying passengers to hospitals”, says the International Association of Public Transport (UITP). UITP adds that for the Government to strategise services during and after the lockdown, there must be – (1) Protection for front line staff, (2) Sanitation of the fleet and premises, (3) Physical distancing within the services, (4) Service planning to ensure adequate Level of Service, (5) Verification of passengers, and (6) Free public transport. Read the full article here.

The COVID-19 pandemic can be the Transport Industry’s Opportunity

Avoid Shift Improve – Instruments for COVID-19
Source – TUMI

Although it is very important for cities to adopt and prioritise these measures to stop the spread of the virus, the long-term implications on the transportation sector are still being assessed. “It is not yet possible to draw any conclusive conclusions about the efficiency and effectiveness of these measures. At the same time, we should not and do not want to lose sight of the goals of sustainable mobility”, says TUMI. A proposed strategy is the Avoid-Shift-Improve approach that reduces individual transport demand, promotes active mobility such as walking and cycling, and improves the quality of operations. “An essential element of the strategy is the sequencing of measures – here, administrations from the areas of health, transport, safety, etc. must work together…We want to suggest that the measures taken in the context of the corona crisis are both fair (in terms of social participation, gender, and generational equity) and support the objectives of transport transformation in the long term” declares TUMI.

One of COVID-19’s biggest revelations has been about how mobility in our urban areas needs to become more resilient, affordable and accessible, through the integration of technology and data-driven solutions. As cities begin strategising their transit after the pandemic, it is important to prioritise the marginalised who depend on public transport the most, ensuring equity in all aspects of services. With people currently resorting to walking and cycling for their daily needs, cities are seeing a drop in pollution levels, further highlighting an opportunity for a revolution in public transit to happen now, more than ever. 

Compiled by Aditi Subramanian

This article is part of a series on the impact of COVID-19 on our cities and mobility. Stay tuned for part two.

ITDP India Programme: A Decade of Impact

by

Infographic Blog

“All urban residents of Indian cities should have access to jobs, education, and recreation through means of mobility that are safe, affordable, resource-efficient, environment-friendly, and accessible to all.”

Over the last 20 years, the ITDP India Programme has worked with nearly 40 cities across the country to make this vision a reality, impacting the lives of millions. 

We celebrate the completion of a glorious decade of work, and welcome a new one with renewed excitement and anticipation of the possibilities ahead. 

Designed by Keshav Suryanarayanan

Conceptualised by Aishwarya Soni, Keshav Suryanarayanan

A Tale of Two Cities

by

Chennai passed the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) Act in 2010 and the Government of Tamil Nadu greenlit its operations earlier this year. Cities like London and Singapore with highly sophisticated city-wide transportation systems today, were in a similar condition to Chennai when they developed their own transportation authorities. As Chennai looks at creating CUMTA, there are many lessons that can be learnt by looking at the challenges cities like London and Singapore faced and how they moved ahead to where they are now.

Chennai’s bus system (Credit: The News Minute)

“Has your daily commute in Chennai changed in the last ten years?”

Most people asked this question today would feel it has changed, but can we say it has changed for the better? Chennai spends more time now being stuck in traffic than a decade ago. Public transportation can be uncomfortable and irregular. Last-mile connectivity options are few, expensive, and often frustrating for most modes of public transportation in the city, including the metro. There is also the problem of the paucity of information. At a time when most of us have smartphones and data plans make it possible for us to live stream a cricket match on them, we still lack real-time information on when the next bus or train on a particular route might arrive. Why is this so? How can we start to address these problems? 

Technology in Transportation

Public transportation schedules available on smartphone app in Singapore (Credit: The Strait Times)

There are several steps that can help overcome this: accurate live route information for public transportation, a common electronic payment mechanism, and the creation of fare zones- a section of travel within which a set fare is charged. These are neither unreasonable nor unique demands. In Singapore, for example, the smartphone application for live route information also indicates the availability of seats on a bus. London, meanwhile, is moving towards contactless payments. Imagine being able to pay through your debit card or smart watch on the bus or metro or train instead of using different payment cards on each public transport mode. 

How have these cities been able to do it all? What can Chennai and other Indian cities learn in order to make these necessary technological interventions and create a world class public transportation system?

One City, One Transport Authority

Central to addressing these issues is understanding the importance and role of a single city-level institution dedicated to the governance of various public transport systems in the city. Chennai today has 10 different agencies running public transportation: one each for the bus system, the suburban rail and metro rail. In addition, there are different agencies in charge of roads, enforcement, etc. One of the key challenges is the lack of coordination between the various departments. Several government agencies are responsible for individual aspects of transportation and there needs to be effective coordination between them for smooth progress to avoid delays and inefficiencies. This can be facilitated by creating a single agency to bring the different departments together. In creating such an agency we can look to different cities which have tried and achieved this. Consider the example of London, the default case study for efficient urban transportation today. 

London’s transformation

London’s bus system (Credit: The Evening Standard)

London’s transportation landscape was as fragmented as Chennai’s today. London faced similar challenges, and different companies were responsible for operating the public bus, underground train and tram services. Further complications arose due to the existence of several train and tram companies in London.

In 2000, London created Transport for London(TfL) to bring them all together. TfL is responsible for the day-to-day operation of all public transport networks in London and the city’s main roads. The public transportation system of London was completely transformed by working under one institution, resulting in the integration of these different modes and their access through one common mobility card called Oyster. TfL’s Open Data policy has also enabled software developers to create apps that people of London can use to access real-time information for public transportation and plan their journey.

London is not the only city with a common authority for urban transportation though. Many cities around the world – including Singapore, New York, Lagos – have one. Many Indian cities, including Chennai and Bangalore are now considering a Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTA).

CUMTA moves ahead 

First described in India’s National Urban Transport Policy, 2006, the Government of India recommended an UMTA be set up in all million-plus cities for “coordinated planning and implementation of urban transport programs and projects and an integrated management of urban transport systems”

Finding merit in the concept, Chennai passed the Chennai Unified Metropolitan Transport Authority (CUMTA) Act in 2010. The strength of CUMTA will lie in its ability to bring together the multiple agencies that are represented on its board. As a coordinating body, it can help institute integrated transport planning and decision making for Chennai as a whole. CUMTA can help give direction to the individual agencies and to the government’s overall transport strategy. 

Earlier this year, CUMTA’s operations were greenlit by the Government of Tamil Nadu. As the institution comes into service, Chennai has the opportunity to radically transform its public transportation infrastructure. Learning from cities like London and Singapore which have overcome their fragmented systems to become leaders in the field of urban transportation will benefit both CUMTA and Chennai greatly. 

Written by Varun Sridhar

Edited by Keshav Suryanarayanan, AV Venugopal




Upcoming: Part 2 of the CUMTA series

ITDP spoke to Mr. Shashi Verma, Chief Technology Officer and Director of Customer Experiences at Transport for London, about CUMTA’s role in defining the future of mobility in Chennai. Watch out for our next blog that will describe Mr.Verma’s inputs and recommendations/directions for the city and the institution.

Connecting the Dots of Delhi’s Public Transport System

by

A case for improving Delhi’s last-mile connectivity

Delhi—yeh sheher nahi, mehfil hai— a nostalgia bestowed upon Delhiites, from savouring the aromas of gully food, to being enchanted by the mehfil on old streets, and sometimes combined with a feeling of impending chaos. What happens when this chaos threatens the very existence of Delhi’s mehfil? Are we ready for ‘yeh Delhi sheher nahi, parking garage hai’? 

As difficult it may be to let go of the age-old nostalgia of streets imagined as mehfils (gathering spaces for sharing poetry or classical music), the reality is that Delhi is clogged with cars! This is despite the city operating India’s “best-run mass rapid transit system” – the Delhi Metro. It’s vast network of over 340 kms helps 26 lakh people commute every day in the National Capital Region (NCR). While the system is classified as one of the largest in the world, it caters to less than 10 percent of NCR. Personal motor vehicles continue to rule the roost. 

On the other hand, Delhi’s bus system is completely omitted from the public transport equation. Based on the existing demand and the burgeoning population, Delhi is short of over 6,000 buses – which means, Delhi needs to double its existing fleet strength. Efforts to bridge the gap in the supply of buses is the need of the hour. Lack of efficient public transport systems and the absence of last-mile connectivity has fuelled the insatious demand for personal motor vehicles. Let us now look at the issue of ‘last-mile’ connectivity. 

Last-mile connectivity—how people actually get to and from the stations, particularly the Metro—has been a matter of concern among Delhi commuters. Issues surrounding the safety, convenience, and comfort to reach a station from a workplace or home, and vice-versa, has been the talk of the town for a few years now, yet neglected. 

Privately run CNG autos, e-rickshaws, Gramin Sewa, and the Phat Phat Sewa have stepped in to provide last-mile connectivity, in the interim. While these systems have the stamp of legality by the State government and have managed to satisfy a portion of the mobility demand, they are largely unorganised and unregulated. The debate of whether they are a resource or a nuisance, continues. 

Delhi is reported to have one lakh e-rickshaws, of which a mere 35,000 are registered, and over a lakh CNG autos. Filling the last-mile connectivity gap comes at a cost of traffic snarls and safety concerns among its citizens. Areas around metro stations have become the new choke points given the lack of integration with formal public transport, haphazard parking on main roads, and an overall lack of traffic and parking management.

Traffic jam of autos outside metro station in Delhi (Credit: Aaj Ki Awaaz)

It may be time for Delhi to shift focus from its archaic approach to connect the dots of its public transit system – bring home the mini-bus. When it comes to bus-based transit, let’s face it, this underdog of transit is by far one of the most efficient, affordable, and convenient modes of transport. Just one mini-bus can replace five rickshaws, or in other words, the bus can move more people in fewer vehicles in a compact amount of road space. 

The mini-bus can provide the best option to improve last-mile connectivity. With better technology, services, and integration with the metro, the bus can unclog streets in Delhi, especially those around metro stations. So what does that mean for rickshaw drivers – are their livelihoods at risk? A successful transition should ensure that rickshaw drivers are formally employed into the system. 

For Delhi to transition towards a people-friendly city rather than a personal motor vehicle garage, it needs to improve accessibility, affordability, and frequency of public transit as well. Cities like Pune have taken the initial steps of assessing public transit system gaps through the People Near Transit (PNT) tool, prepared with technical assistance from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India programme. Pune has endorsed the PNT tool to further improve its public transit reach to reduce dependency on personal motor vehicles – a similar issue that Delhi has been tackling for over a decade. Delhi can use the PNT tool to reshape its public transport to serve maximum and pollute minimum.

For far too long, cities have ignored what is arguably the most affordable and flexible public transit option, the humble mini-bus. In the name of last-mile connectivity, rickshaws have filled the gap and where unavailable, cars have taken over. In the case of Delhi, where the city can no longer afford to squeeze more cars onto its roads, the bus can provide mobility to the maximum number of people in a compact amount of road space. Delhi should champion a publicly-run mini-bus system to solve its last-mile connectivity woe; after all, a successful bus-system has never failed to move a city.

Written by Kashmira Dubash

Technical Direction: Vishnu Mohanakumar

To ensure people near transit, Pune needs to improve transit near people

by

In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, 96% of residents live within a 500m walkable distance of a bus network. But, as per Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Limited (PMPML) schedules, one-third of these residents don’t have access to buses which are available frequently – every five minutes. Therefore, a lowly 12% of the trips made in the region are via bus transit.

Though a five-minute wait seems ideal, this figure is an aggregation of areas with high bus availability and low ridership and of localities with low bus availability and high ridership.

This begs the question, what good are extensive transit systems which can’t ensure accessibility and high frequency. These are some of the key arguments the People near Transit (PNT) report, prepared by the ITDP India Programme, raises with regard to access to public transit and surging personal motor vehicle dependency in the Pune Metropolitan Region.

From time immemorial, cities have been built upon transit. Be it citadels built around trading routes to present-day cities with interwoven networks connecting residents to their place of work, education, leisure, etc. Hence, transit and accessibility to these systems remain central to the development of societies.

Indian cities have been growing at a tremendous scale. This growth poses many urban transportation challenges and though tottering, public transit has stood its ground as an indispensable public utility. But as the automobile industry’s clout grows, more motor vehicles, of various kinds, offer “freedom” at the cost of congested roads and choked cities.

Whereas, accessible, affordable, and frequent public transit offers a guarantee for mobility, which also furthers the economic and social mobilisation of citizens.

Basically, the PNT analysis measures how well a city provides transit access to its residents. The USP of the analysis is that it works on secondary sources to formulate the assessment. Quite handy for Indian cities, as most lack primary data on transport operations and functions.

To start off, PNT requires basic data like ward boundaries and their population to establish demand. Next, details regarding the routes, schedule, and station placements of various modes — such as bus and rail — help ascertain accessibility and frequency of these modes. These data points, in a digitised GIS format, find accessibility levels of public transit and identify gaps in the system.

Image credit : Flickr

In the last two decades, the Pune urban agglomeration, including Pimpri-Chinchwad, has witnessed a steep economic and population growth. The IT (information technology) boom orchestrated a massive migration to Pune city. This advent doubled its population, but it pales in comparison to the city’s vehicle population — which grew by 700% in the period.

Adding to the congestion is the issue of urban sprawl. A symptom of urbanisation, urban sprawl is when cities grow unplanned towards their peripheries. It is estimated to cost Indian cities close to $1.8 trillion per year by 2050. Presently in Pune, this outward sprawl forces 48% of its trips to be longer than 5km. And in situations where public transit isn’t readily accessible or frequent, many residents — of areas like Shivane, Pirangut, Wagholi, etc., — are forced to use two-wheelers to commute.  

Many high-density areas like Dhanori, Kalyani Nagar, Warje-bypass, Pradhikaran, Talwade, etc., fall under the category of transit deserts. These are sections which do not have access to frequent transit — a public transit available every five minute — within a 500 m walking distance. Here’s where the “ideal five-minute wait-time for a bus” takes a hit, as accessibility (or lack thereof) to public transit trumps the former.

At the onset of this piece, we spoke about how mobility is key for the economic and social mobility of citizens. Now, interlay the situation of the lack of accessibility with the need of the people residing in transit deserts. There are breadwinners who struggle for hours in transit to reach work and back; caregivers whose daily regimes pivot around that one over-crowded bus and missing which throws the day into a chaotic convulsion of catching up; and then children whose means to education literally hangs on the footboards of these overcrowded buses.

In Pune region, work trips account for half of the total trips. As per the PNT report, only 62% of employment centers have access to frequent public transit. Key employment areas near Mundhwa and Bhekrai Nagar are transit deserts. While 40% of school-children don’t have access to frequent transit services to their schools.

Transit interventions best work when they take into account the needs of every citizen. Despite being capital-intensive, the much-anticipated Metro Rail project, running through the twin cities, will be accessible to only 10% of people within a 500m walking distance. Even with the Rainbow BRT (existing and upcoming), rapid transit is accessible to only 25% of people.

Now, with 23% of low-income sections not having access to frequent transit, investing in rapid transit projects with high-cost and low returns (or ridership) is a self-inflicted “catch-22”. Neither is the Metro accessible nor would it be affordable to a vast majority of the public. As for the BRT, the lack of fleet expansion and network limitations bottle up the system’s potential.   

The PNT analysis has some concrete and well-versed answers to the twin cities’ dilemma of improving public transit that works to serve all. These are:

  • In sections with low access to public transit, specific corridors can be introduced to intersect high-density areas and high-frequency corridors. Subsequently, PMPML needs to rationalise routes to ensure accessibility to frequent buses is uniform across the board.
  • Running smaller feeder services, in transit-deprived sections, ensure residents have access to the PMPML bus network. By extension, it also helps curtail the dependence on personal motor vehicles.
  • BRT and PMPML high-frequency routes could potentially facilitate multi-modal integration by connecting to the Metro — hence improving the latters’ ridership. In fact, fare integration would ensure footfall as these transfers would be affordable.
  • Densification under transit-oriented development (TOD) will help more residents get access to existing corridors in the future.
  • Low density areas in TOD zone need local area plans (LAPs) to ‘infill’ them with densities. Similarly, high density areas in TOD zones need LAPs to improve street network and public spaces.
  • By adopting PNT as a tool in preparing and revising the development plan and identifying mass transit corridors, cities can ensure better integration of land use with transport needs for the future.

The PNT report provides a thorough glimpse into the current capacities of public transit operations in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. At the same time, the analysis can pave the way for interventions that can maximise the density of city layouts, accessibility, and frequency of public transit; while minimising urban sprawl, transit deserts. To conclude, PNT is an instrument for change that holds the potential to shape public transit that serves maximum and pollutes minimum.

Written by Rohit James

Edited by Kashmira Dubash