Urbanisation and the Challenge of Ideal Transit Solutions

Urbanisation and the Challenge of Ideal Transit Solutions 13 Jun 2025

Urbanisation and the Challenge of Ideal Transit Solutions

India aspires to become a developed nation by 2047. By the 2060s, over 60% of the population is expected to move to cities, making urban India the growth engine.

Urban Pressure

  • Infrastructure Pressure: This large-scale rural-to-urban migration will create immense pressure on urban infrastructure, especially on public transport systems.
  • Role of Urban Transport: Efficient, inclusive, and sustainable mobility systems will be essential to manage this shift and enable productivity in urban centres.
  • Smart cities: They were envisioned to minimise daily commutes by integrating work and residence spaces.
  • Implementation Gap: However, most new smart cities remain non-functional, failing to take off like China’s planned urban models.
  • Uncontrolled Urban Expansion: Meanwhile, existing metros and tier-1 cities continue to expand rapidly, intensifying urban stress.
  • Consequences of Poor Planning: This results in rising traffic congestion, inadequate public transport, and a lack of last-mile connectivity.

Steps taken by the Government to tackle Urban Mobility crisis

  • PM e-Bus Sewa – Payment Security Mechanism: Aims to induct nearly 10,000 urban buses.
  • PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM e-Drive): Targets procurement of:
    • 14,000 e-buses
    • 1,10,000 e-rickshaws
    • e-trucks and e-ambulances
  • Rising Metro Investments: The Budget also increased allocations for metro rail development across Tier 1 cities, aligning with efforts to cater to high urban density and reduce congestion.

Challenges Associated with Urban Transportation

  • Urban Bus Deficit: India needs 2 lakh urban buses, but only 35,000 are operational, highlighting a major supply-demand gap.
  • Limited Resources: While there’s a strong push for green mobility, funding constraints limit scaling and sustainability.
  • Access Gap: Only 37% of urban Indians have easy access to mass transit, compared to over 50% in Brazil and China.
  • Challenges in Cost Recovery: Most metro projects face difficulty in recovering costs, with low ridership and operational deficits.
  • Last-Mile Issues: High fares lead to reduced usage, while poor last-mile connectivity deters commuters further.
  • Limited Fiscal Space: India cannot afford large-scale metro subsidies like Western countries, limiting pricing flexibility.

Challenges in Current Urban Bus Investments

  • Budget Push: The 2025 Budget has boosted allocations for urban bus systems, especially to strengthen metro city connectivity. The aim is to enhance last-mile access.
  • Private Sector Reluctance: Despite government support, private investments in public transport remain limited due to low return certainty and long gestation periods.
  • Shift to Expensive e-Buses: Earlier emphasis on CNG buses has now shifted to electric buses, which have higher upfront and maintenance costs, increasing the financial burden on public agencies.
  • Exploring Alternatives: Future transit models may increasingly focus on road-based modes powered by electricity, CNG, hydrogen, or biofuels. Yet, important alternatives like trams and trolleybuses are often overlooked.
  • Policy Blind Spot: Despite being more efficient over the long term, trams and trolleybuses receive minimal policy attention. Their life cycle analysis shows that they can outperform e-buses in both financial and environmental terms.
  • Sustainability Mismatch: Current focus on e-buses may be leading to a subsidy-driven ecosystem, rather than a self-sustaining transit model. This misalignment raises concerns about the long-term viability of such investments.

Comparative Life Cycle Profitability

  • Trams: Offer 45% profitability over a 70-year life cycle with climate alignment and scalability.
  • e-Buses: Record an 82% net loss over the same period due to high operational and replacement costs.
  • Trolleybuses: More efficient than e-buses but still incur a minor net loss over the life cycle.

Case for Adopting to Tram System

  • Kochi Tram: Kochi plans to launch a tram pilot project, offering a revival opportunity for sustainable transit. Trams provide low-cost, eco-friendly urban mobility with high scalability.
  • Kolkata: Kolkata preserved its tram legacy, now seen as a smart urban strategy.
  • Global Examples: Global cities like Zurich and Amsterdam have revived trams, proving their modern-day relevance.
  • Policy Rethink: It’s time for a policy rethink to integrate proven old technologies into future mobility planning.

Conclusion

Urbanisation demands inclusive and sustainable mobility solutions, where trams and other road-based public transport must receive equal policy attention, avoiding an over-reliance on costly e-buses and metro systems by applying life-cycle cost analysis to transport investments

Main Practice

Q. The success of urban mobility is often hindered by the “last-mile connectivity” challenge. Examine the failures in addressing last-mile connectivity in Indian cities and recommend innovative solutions. (15 Marks, 250 Words)

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Quick Revise Now !
UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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