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Around ** thousand buses and coaches were produced across India in 2022. The share of buses in the total vehicle fleet across the south Asian country has declined considerably. Road transport across the country suffers from certain disadvantages. Poor quality of roads and lack of connection of rural areas to mainstream lands adds to the problem of increased private vehicles. Most of the buses as well are owned by the private sector.

Passenger transport in India

The rapid growth of Indian cities has put persistent pressure on public transportation. The country often featured in the list of most traffic gridlocked Asian cities as a consequence of an increasing proportion of population resorting to personal vehicles. The railway industry, however, has occupied a position of considerable importance for passenger transport. With the * largest railway network in the world, Indian Railways transports around ** million passengers every day.

COVID-19 impact

Public transport across the globe suffered great losses with the ‘stay at home’ approach taken by governments. The situation in India was no different. Demand for passenger transport was adversely hit, where freight traffic experienced short-term surges. The problem was likely to persist even after the restrictions are lifted. The fear of infections due to lack of proper distancing might shape the future of public transport across the country.