Delhi BRT Failed. But Indian Cities Should Still Pursue It

One such solution is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a high-quality bus-based public transportation system that has been implemented in cities across the globe with varying levels of success. However, the question remains: Is BRT feasible in India? And how can it complement other public transport modes like Metros and traditional buses? 

BRT is running in six Indian cities, partially in four, and is planned in three more. In Delhi, however, it was discontinued due to issues like lack of level boarding, traffic congestion, and poor public acceptance.

The 12th Five-Year Plan's Working Group and the National Transport Development Policy Committee (NTDPC) pushed for BRT and rail systems, favouring MRT (Metro Rail Transit) in cities with populations over 4 million. BRT with its Metro-like operations, are globally popular and yet Indian cities remain divided: Pune’s BRT is only partial, Delhi scrapped its lone corridor in 2016, and Bhopal plans to do the same.

However, Ahmedabad and Surat have made it work. Let’s dive into why this inconsistency exists.

What Is BRT? 

BRT is a high-efficiency public transport system that offers fast, reliable and cost-effective travel compared to rail-based systems. It operates primarily on dedicated lanes designed for buses, allowing for uninterrupted travel, which significantly reduces delays caused by traffic congestion. BRT utilises modern, articulated buses and advanced fare collection technologies, ensuring seamless passenger flow and quick service. 

Key features of BRT systems include: 

• Dedicated bus lanes: These exclusive lanes prevent buses from being stuck in regular traffic, ensuring speed and reliability. 
• Real-time passenger information: Displays and apps that provide up-to-date information on bus arrivals, allowing commuters to plan their journeys efficiently. 
• High-frequency services: Buses run frequently, especially during peak hours, minimising waiting times for passengers. 
• Priority at intersections: BRT buses are given priority at traffic lights and intersections, further speeding up their journey. 
• Level boarding: Platforms are designed for easy, barrier-free access to buses, making the system more inclusive for people with disabilities and the elderly.

Globally, BRT has been successfully implemented in several cities, showcasing its potential to revolutionise urban transport. For example: Bogotá, Colombia.

TransMilenio revolutionised urban mobility in Bogotá. While not as fast as the Metro, it was quickly up and running at a fraction of the cost. Using existing boulevards and limited stops, it outpaced the disorganised microbuses it replaced. With train-like stations for quick boarding and advance payments, ridership doubled within months, connecting distant slums to the city centre.

Now, let's compare the number of buses in major Indian cities with Bogotá's fleet below. 

As we can see, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru are leading in electric bus adoption, with shares of 24 per cent, 26 per cent, and 15 per cent, respectively. Chennai plans to procure 1,320 e-buses by 2025, raising its share to 38 per cent.

However, considering that the populations of all four cities are significantly larger than Bogotá’s, the number of buses per capita in Indian cities needs a substantial boost. While Bogotá has 3.6 buses per 1,000 people, India lags with fewer than 1.5 buses per 1,000, a pressing issue for Tier 1-2 cities. With 85 per cent of passenger traffic relying on roads, it is crucial to increase bus numbers and public transport.

Jakarta, Indonesia 

Launched in 2004, TransJakarta, Southeast Asia's first BRT, has eased traffic congestion and is the world’s longest BRT route at 251.2 km. It integrates with small buses, paratransit, and LRT (Light Rail Transit) to expand its reach. Currently, 13 per cent of daily passengers use small buses.

The system is now expanding with Jakarta’s MRT and aiming for 50 per cent electrification by 2027, and 100 per cent by 2030. Shifting 75 per cent of the fleet to electric could cut CO2 emissions by up to 73 per cent by 2050. 

Istanbul, Turkey 

Istanbul's BRT, launched in 2007, spans 52 km and serves 950,000 daily passengers with over 300 buses, including articulated ones to ease congestion. Operating on dedicated lanes, it bypasses traffic and travels at speeds of 20-30 kmph, offering a fast, sustainable alternative to traditional buses and cars. The system reduces congestion, cuts travel time and supports sustainability by lowering carbon emissions. It integrates with Metro, ferry and tram networks, promoting accessibility and social inclusion. With plans for expansion, Istanbul's BRT has successfully shifted 9 per cent of car users to public transport, setting a global example for efficient urban mobility. 

Guangzhou, China 

Launched in 2010, Guangzhou’s BRT serves 1 million passengers daily and has reduced CO2 emissions by 84,000 tonnes annually. The system integrates dedicated bus lanes with cycling infrastructure and a bike-sharing programme, addressing last-mile connectivity and promoting seamless travel between modes. This multimodal approach has reduced private vehicle use, eased congestion and cut air pollution. 

Thus, BRT is a fast, safe, and sustainable public transport solution, reducing congestion on dedicated lanes. Operating in 187 cities and serving 35 million daily passengers, it cuts emissions, boosts safety, and drives higher ridership. Electrification further reduces CO2, making BRT a key player in greener, more efficient urban mobility. 

Feasibility of BRT in India 

By 2036, 600 million people — 40 per cent of India's population — will live in cities, up from 31 per cent in 2011, driving nearly 70 per cent of the country's GDP. With such rapid growth, cities are facing severe transportation challenges, including chronic traffic congestion, deteriorating air quality, and rising fuel consumption.

For instance, Bangalore’s vehicular population exceeds 1.16 crore as of March 31, 2024, with 88 per cent privately owned. Private car registrations surged by 340 per cent, from 36,000 in 2022-23 to nearly 1.6 lakh this year.

India’s reliance on private vehicles exacerbates these challenges, but public transport infrastructure — despite several ongoing projects — is still insufficient. Figure 2 below gives you some perspective.

Cost-Effectiveness 

Major advantages of BRT are its fast, low-cost implementation, relative to Metro or light rail systems. The cost of the BRT, as demonstrated by the 22 km-long Hubballi-Dharwad BRT corridors, which was declared the 'Best Mass Transit Project' by the Government of India, is shown in Figure 2, compared to the cost of building a Metro system. 

Moreover, BRT systems require far less space than Metro, making them ideal for cities with high population densities and narrow roads, such as Mumbai and Bangalore. Further, BRT lets cities quickly create a high-capacity, quality public transport network.

It demonstrates how public transport can seamlessly fit into the city’s transport system, laying the groundwork for integrating other modes like walking, cycling, and paratransit to boost overall mobility.  

Ahmedabad has already implemented a successful BRT system — Ahmedabad Janmarg Ltd, which has demonstrated the effectiveness of BRT in improving urban mobility and reducing traffic congestion. The BRT system operates on a 101 km corridor with 250 buses across 15 routes, serving 1,50,000 passengers daily.

It features 163 well-located bus stations and runs almost round-the-clock, from 6 AM to 11 PM. The fleet includes 50 electric buses with advanced safety systems, and the stations are equipped with solar panels generating 115 KW. Passengers can enjoy cashless ticketing through Janmitra cards and UPI (universal digital payment system) at all stations.  

Environmental Impact 

India is grappling with some of the world’s worst air pollution levels. As per IQAir data, in 2023, India’s average PM2.5 concentration was 10.9 times above the WHO’s annual air quality guideline. Further, 26 of the world’s 30 most polluted regions of the world are in India. 

To combat this outcome, an electric/hybrid-based BRT system offers a cleaner alternative and can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to estimates, BRT systems can reduce up to 90 per cent per passenger due to the shift from private cars to public transport. Volvo’s comprehensive study on BRT gives us some interesting numbers as seen in Figure 3 and 4 below: 

BRT is the most cost-effective mass transit, taking just two years to implement, compared to five for Light Rail and ten for Metro. With a focus on dedicated lanes and efficient traffic management, BRT systems have been shown to improve vehicular speeds. 

Kolkata, the world’s most congested city, has an average speed of 17.4 kmph, while the global average speed of BRT systems is 25.5 kmph, resulting in reduced fuel consumption and carbon emissions, even while using fossil fuel vehicles.

Complementary Role of BRT with Other Public Transport Modes 

While BRT holds great promise as a stand-alone solution, its greatest strength lies in its ability to complement other modes of public transport, particularly Metro and regular buses.

BRT + Metro

Cities like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Mumbai have made substantial investments in Metro networks, which are expensive to build and operate, while often requiring substantial land acquisition, because of which they can take years to develop, leaving gaps in coverage, particularly in non-core areas. 

BRT can complement Metro by providing last-mile connectivity, particularly in areas not directly served by Metro. For instance, BRT corridors could link suburban areas to Metro stations, enabling passengers to easily switch from one mode to another. In cities like Gurgaon, a BRT can help in connecting outlying districts to Metro hubs, improving the overall efficiency of the transport network. 

BRT + Regular Buses 

BRT can also complement regular bus networks, which in India remain the backbone of public transport in most cities. BRT provides dedicated lanes for buses, enabling them to move freely without being hindered by congestion. This would lead to more reliable and faster bus services, encouraging greater use of buses for both short and long-distance travel. 

In cities like Pune and Jaipur, where regular buses are already the primary mode of public transport, BRT can help re-structure existing bus routes and improve overall service quality. Flexible fare structures and integrated ticketing systems could also be designed, making it easier for commuters to use multiple modes of transport without the hassle of buying separate tickets. 

Challenges For BRT In India 

Despite its many advantages, implementing BRT in India faces several challenges: 

Implementation issues: BRT projects face challenges like poor coordination between agencies, lack of effective monitoring, and disinterest from city administrations. Successful implementation requires a clear, accountable institutional setup, performance-based funding, and national-level oversight. Cities prioritising low-carbon mobility should receive funding priority, with national monitoring ensuring goals like infrastructure for walking and cycling are met. 

Individual city-level issues: BRTS has thrived in developing countries with limited budgets, with 120 cities globally adopting the system, including 10 in India. Despite its success, many cities, like Bogotá, still prefer metro systems due to political bias for capital-intensive projects. Even where BRT systems exist, there are aspirations to build metro networks, sometimes duplicating BRT corridors. Local conflicts often arise over road space allocation, with vocal middle-class opposition resisting the reallocation for BRT, as seen in cities like Pune. Detailed assessments of BRT's impact are often lacking due to limited corridor lengths. 

Policy issues: A major issue with BRT planning in cities is the lack of long-term commitment, with metro projects often threatening BRTS. Media backlash and limited expansion efforts, especially in cities like Delhi, Jaipur, and Pune, have hindered BRT growth. Ahmedabad stands out for expanding its BRT network, but even there, integration with other transport modes is lacking. While some cities, like Delhi, offer cycle schemes, there’s minimal effort to link BRT with other systems. Furthermore, cities like Ahmedabad have failed to implement adequate pedestrian or cycling facilities, despite efficient BRT operations. 

The question of “Right of Way”: Implementation of BRTS projects often fails due to poor coordination among city departments. A dedicated coordinating committee with high-ranking officials from various sectors is essential for smooth execution. Key issues include sharing road space—where pedestrian and cyclist priorities are often overridden by motorized traffic—and inadequate infrastructure design, like faulty cycle tracks and missing footpaths. On-street parking, treated as a "right," further obstructs efficient BRTS operation, with free, long-term parking disrupting the system. Effective BRTS requires integrating parking policies and streamlined road space management. 

The Road Ahead

India’s rapid urbanization and the subsequent strain on its transportation infrastructure have made the need for effective, sustainable, and affordable public transport more critical than ever. BRTs have proven to be a powerful solution in cities worldwide, offering an efficient, low-cost alternative to private vehicles and congested urban roads. However, despite BRT's success stories in cities like Ahmedabad, the uneven implementation across Indian cities has raised significant questions regarding its feasibility. 

BRT’s potential is clear: it provides a faster, greener, and more affordable solution to the traffic and pollution challenges facing India’s megacities. However, its implementation is often hindered by poor coordination, political resistance, and the lack of long-term commitment. BRT systems must not be seen as standalone solutions but as part of an integrated transport network that complements metro systems and traditional buses. The key to unlocking BRT’s full potential lies in improved planning, robust institutional frameworks, and collaboration between different levels of government. 

Ultimately, the success of BRT in India will depend on overcoming these hurdles and ensuring that it becomes a seamless component of the urban mobility ecosystem. If cities are willing to embrace innovation, prioritize public transport, and invest in sustainable solutions, BRT can play a pivotal role in creating cleaner, more efficient, and livable urban spaces for millions of Indians. 

(The writer is a public policy and urban transportation enthusiast and specialist. Views are personal)