Public transport in India has always been a fragmented sector and mostly takes into account just the bus/metro operations that are managed by public authorities directly or via private operators. These organizations largely remain cash strapped and are barely able to meet the mobility needs of the people fully. To make matters worse, the COVID-19 pandemic has further impacted their ridership. With over a year of devastation due to this, public transport amongst most other subsectors has been most badly affected with ridership figures falling by 50-90% worldwide. As country after country went under lockdowns, public transport around the world suffered the most. For the sake of safety, individual travel again gained popularity over group travel. Essentially, COVID resulted in taking the “mass” out of a mass transport system.
As India starts unlocking after a ravaging second wave the public transport authorities now will have to gradually reopen operations expecting lesser ridership (following social distancing norms), reduced services, restrictions, reduced staff, improved hygiene conditions and all of this with depleted cashflows. Adding insult to injury, the social impact on users, who will have a change in demand for mobility options like reduced travel and preference over personal transport. While the authorities may wish to revise their fares to meet their increased expenses, the user on the other hand will be deterred further away due to this. This catch-22 situation will result in derelict services and could severely push back India’s efforts in meeting its Sustainable Development Goal of improved public transport reliance.
Global response
As a part of their bailout plan, the UK has allocated nearly £4 billion for Transport for London (TfL) to help it sustain all transport operations in these trying times. Meanwhile, countries like France, Germany and Poland have come out with stimulus packages that heavily focus on green mobility options like cycling and electric vehicles/buses. Most of these countries have therefore taken this as an opportunity to release large grants alongside pushing for reforms in transport that will take them closer to their respective SDGs.
While most developed nations of the world have been quick to announce bailout or stimulus packages for their respective transport systems, India may not have that option. India’s financial priorities will remain focused on restructuring other critical areas. It thus becomes important for the transport sector to look inwards and switch to a more sustainable model which makes it self reliant financially and also tries to inch closer to its long term environmental commitments. Reforming the transport sector should aim to promote a more sustainable ecosystem for a good quality and reliable transport system that doesn’t just focus on public transport alone but is more inclusive in nature and addresses all aspects of mobility.
Read More at https://www.financialexpress.com/infrastructure/no-better-time-for-switching-to-greener-transport/2268192/
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