The extreme levels of air pollution reported in Delhi over the last week are shocking, but have not really taken anyone by surprise. It has become a yearly ritual in India’s capital. November has seen the average air quality index (AQI) hovering around 500 in the recent weeks, at ‘severe plus’ category, prompting the government to invoke several emergency measures.
While most people consider stubble burning a major cause of air pollution, a CSE analysis has revealed that vehicular pollution is the top contributor among combustion sources to Delhi’s deteriorating air quality. “Explosive motorization, choking congestion and inadequate public transport services are undercutting the emission gains from technology measures in the transport sector of the city,” says the analysis.
Detailed source apportionment and emission inventory studies carried out by multiple agencies including Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, The Energy Research Institute, and Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology – SAFAR have established vehicles as the top polluter among all the combustion sources. When combined with dust sources, vehicular emissions stand at second position. This is based on round-the-year assessment of pollution contribution from different sources.
What we know from the CSE report:
- Vehicles are not only contributing to the particulate pollution but also to the nitrogen oxide levels. Vehicles caught in congestion and idling give out emissions several times higher than their normal emissions on roads.
- The city’s expansion into peripheral areas has caused the per capita trip rate to rise by 12.3%, and average trip length by a staggering 81.7%. This urban sprawl, combined with longer commutes, is contributing to the rise in private vehicle usage.
- The modal share of private vehicles has risen from 38% to 49% over the past decade, while the share of bus trips has decreased by 20%.
- Even though bus ridership is increasing, numbers are still below pre-COVID levels, with DTC buses seeing a 25% reduction in ridership and cluster buses experiencing a 7% drop.
- In Delhi, 57.95% of the population live within 400 metres (a 5-minute walk) to a bus stop, and 83.15% are within 800 metres (a 5-minute cycling distance) of a bus stop. Despite that, ridership remains lower than expected.
The people of Delhi and surrounding regions face severe health issues due to pollution, and yet the Economic Survey of 2023-24 reveals that a large population in Delhi still does not use public transportation due to a lack of last-mile connectivity, proper integration, and socio-economic diversity.
As a result, Delhi roads are filled with private vehicles, and as of March 2023, data shows over 79.45 lakh registered vehicles in the city. Citing numbers from the VAHAN database, the CSE analysis mentions an addition of 6.5 lakh vehicles during 2023-24. As many as 90.5 per cent of these are two-wheelers and cars.
However, apart from registered vehicles, many vehicles also ply in and out of the NCR, making it difficult to accurately estimate exactly how many vehicles hit Delhi’s roads daily.
Growing population but not enough buses
According to the CSE report, there are 7,683 buses in place including 1970 electric buses. The city has failed to fulfil the 1998 Supreme Court directive of 10,000 buses. Considering the last census data of 2011, Delhi has around 45 buses per lakh population, which falls below the benchmark of 60 buses per lakh population set by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
Read more: Lip service to sustainable transport, as government neglects the humble bus
The Delhi Metro, with a network of 393 kilometres, 12 lines, and 288 stations, sees a daily average ridership of 46 lakh passengers as per the Economic Survey 2023-24. On November 18 2024, days before the Delhi government asked 50% of its employees to work from home to combat pollution, the Metro registered a new single day record of 78.67 lakh journeys.
But a large majority of middle-class and upper-middle-class citizens continue to use personal vehicles (cars, taxis). To understand this preference that is contributing significantly to the dire conditions in the city, Citizen Matters reached out to private vehicle users from different backgrounds to know what keeps them from using public transport.
Time, predictability and convenience
Manas, a 23-year-old MBA student at Delhi University, relies on his four-wheeler and two-wheeler for commuting between Tilak Nagar and South Campus — a journey that takes him about 35 minutes. He prefers his two-wheeler for its speed and convenience.
Manas stays at a distance of 1.2 kms from a bus stop and metro station, but says he avoids public transport due to its unreliability. A direct bus from Tilak Nagar to South Campus takes over one hour (excluding the wait time) as mentioned in the ‘One Delhi’ app. There are two other buses with interchange options that take around two hours to reach the South Campus from Tilak Nagar.
“Buses are often late, and navigating complex routes and uncertain schedules is time-consuming,” says Manas. When he does use public transport, he opts for the metro over buses for its efficiency and predictability, and he finds the metro tracking app to be much more convenient.
CSE has analysed the data available from “Open Transit Data” of the Delhi Transport department on the waiting time for buses in bus stops. This shows that less than one per cent of the bus stops have 10 minutes waiting time with a maximum of 5 minutes of delay. As much as 50% of the bus stops have very high waiting time – more than 15 minutes.
Dr. Kavita Mehta, a 53-year-old Hindi professor at Delhi University, fondly recalls her college days when she commuted by bus. Earlier she used to take a bus from Tilak Nagar stop that would stop right outside the Miranda House college gate. However, post-pandemic, the scenario has drastically changed for her.
“The lack of reliable bus time tables, frequent delays, and safety concerns faced by my students, including instances of harassment, are major barriers that keep me away from using buses,” she says. As a result, she has switched to app-based cabs, finding them convenient for door-to-door service. “If I decide to take a bus today, it would take me over one hour and require two interchanges to reach my college,” she says.
Despite covering a distance of 17.5 km daily, she does not use the metro service. “The metro is overcrowded, especially during peak hours, and the considerable walking distances within metro stations gets exhausting for me,” Dr Kavita adds.
Lavanya Mittal, a 28-year-old research professional, commutes daily between her workplace in Qutub Industrial Area and her home in Chattarpur. She uses her two-wheeler for convenience and time-saving.
“Public transportation, particularly the metro, is not a viable option for me due to overcrowding and the unavailability of seats. It doesn’t work well for me and becomes tiring, given the physical demands of my job, which again requires me to stand for long hours,” Lavanya added.
To visit her family in Rohini, she is willing to pay a cab fare of around ₹600 per trip but avoids public transport. “Even if I use the metro, the travel from Rohini Metro Station to my parents’ home is another struggle,” she says, pointing to the lack of last-mile connectivity options.
Inactive carpooling
In 2016, after implementing the odd-even scheme, the Delhi government launched the PoochO Carpool app to provide people with more travel options. However, the app currently does not offer any carpooling options and appears outdated in a technologically advanced environment, when compared to platforms like Ola or Uber for standard bookings.
“I would prefer carpooling as an option, but I don’t see any reliable or convenient arrangements,” she says.
Manas however shares that occasionally, he gets together with his college friends who live close by, and takes one car. “We accommodate 4-5 people from the same area,” he says.
DTC buses, a forgotten mode of transport
“Maybe it was 5-6 years ago when I last took a Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus,” says Lavanya. She believes that the lack of dedicated bus lanes (not just markers) and inefficient routes contribute to the inconvenience of public transport.
Lavanya wishes for shorter-distance bus routes to cater to specific needs. While she recognizes the affordability of public transport, she argues that it’s not always feasible for individuals like her who prioritise convenience and time efficiency.
In recent times, the Delhi government has made efforts to address last-mile connectivity by launching initiatives like the ‘Mohalla Bus Service,’ which was tested, but not fully implemented due to delays in planning proper routes and late arrival of vehicles.
According to recent media reports, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has increased the number of e-autos to boost last-mile connectivity for metro travellers. Recently over 1100 more e-autos have been added for citizens conveneince, which are catering to commuters in 40 DMRC stations.
Lack of awareness among citizens
While awareness regarding the Metro is fairly widespread, there is a stark contrast when it comes to DTC buses. Many citizens are completely unaware of applications like the ‘One Delhi App,’ which allows users to track bus routes.
Many commuters also voice demands for better sanitation, safety and facilities. “We often see buses in Delhi lacking proper maintenance and in bad condition. I am sure there is a plan for maintenance, but one cannot help wondering how frequently they make sure it is implemented, or the buses get cleaned,” says Manas.
Safety issues and horror stories that abound about Delhi buses are another deterrent. “As a woman, I would any day prefer the metro over buses because of safety reasons. I believe hiring the right bus drivers is also very important, as there is a huge issue of rash driving,” says Mahima Bansal, a working professional in Delhi.
Raising awareness: The commute-environment link
While there are gaps in public transport service, it is also true that most citizens do not consider the environmental impact of their daily commutes. “Honestly, climate is not the first thought that crosses my mind when I use my car, but when I’m stuck in traffic for a long time and see a car evidently without a pollution check, it really makes me angry,” says Manas.
Then there are many like Shaurya Singh, a 25-year-old residing in Greater Noida, who outright reject the fact that vehicles are a key contributor to the state of Delhi air. “The effect of personal usage on air quality is minuscule. It’s more to do with stubble burning and industries,” he says.
“We should support research groups and civil society organisations to conduct year-round discussions in schools and public forums to raise awareness about how climate and commute go hand in hand, instead of talking about it only when pollution levels spike,” suggests Geetam Tiwari, an Emeritus Professor from TRIP (Transportation Research & Injury Prevention), IIT Delhi.
Read more: Five simple steps that can improve Delhi air quality
Professor Tiwari emphasises solutions like improving pedestrian access to buses and metro, having public transport stops within walking distance, ensuring a bus arrives within five minutes, and creating reliable services with separate bus lanes. Other measures include imposing a carbon or pollution tax on cars and two-wheelers, higher parking charges, and banning personal vehicles in congested areas during peak hours.
But implementing these solutions at a scale that would make a material impact requires extensive, year-round consultations with citizens. Right now communication, awareness building and incentivisation (or, disincentives to personal vehicle use) all seem to be woefully inadequate.