Buy more buses boost growth cut pollution

Buy more buses boost growth cut pollution

Pollution levels, lowered by the lockdown, will go back up as activity picks up. There is a small window of opportunity for Union, state and local governments adopt measures that would rein them in. These measures include strict implementation of pollution standards for thermal power plants, improved construction norms and maintenance of roads, increased greening of urban spaces, and improved urban bus systems. Each of these efforts are opportunities for enhanced economic activity, as well.

State and urban local governments must invest in their urban bus systems. Buses have a critical role in the mass public transport ecosystem — as primary mode of mobility and for last-mile connectivity. Buses provide a cheap mobility option and can serve the city at a granular level due to higher penetration. Current demands of social distancing make public transport difficult. For a large proportion, the demands of social distancing notwithstanding, the bus system is the only option for mobility. According to 2011 census, 44% of households have no private means of mobility. India’s bus system is under-provisioned, with a national average of 1.2 buses for 1,000 persons (compared to 8.6 buses per 1,000 in Thailand and 6.5 in South Africa). Only 63 of 458 Indian cities with more than 100,000 population have formal city bus systems. Any investment that is made to augment urban bus systems — including in phone apps and GPS — will improve mobility, even with the Covid restrictions.

The returns on investment in the bus system are immense in terms of pollution avoided, improved health outcomes and productivity, reduced congestion and greater safety. This nationwide effort to improve bus systems will boost the automotive and manufacturing sector. The benefits are far too great to ignore this intervention.