Citizens look for mainly three factors when it comes to public transportation: efficiency, accessibility, and affordability. Sadly, Indian cities have been ignoring all three, leading to an explosion of private vehicles on our streets and all the associated problems.
Thanks to lack of political will and unfortunate US-style aspiration, we have arrived at a sad state of affairs as far as urban mobility is concerned. In this first of a four-part series, the author explains the latent inequality and hierarchy in our city streets.
Most public bus units in our cities have run into huge losses. Yet, fare increase would make buses unaffordable for the ones who need them the most. Can the state step in and find a way for them to be accessible as well as economically viable?
The recent strike by MTC drivers in Chennai over demands for a wage hike, and in several cities in the past, raises an important question: how are these key drivers of the urban public transport system remunerated?
Although Bengaluru’s Intelligent Transport System for buses has been nominated for the prestigious C40 Cities award for sustainable transportation, the reality on the ground leaves much to be desired.
