Special report seeking urgent intervention on augmentation of public transport, including approval for phase IV of Delhi Metro and advancement in schedule for additional buses
It is clear that without an augmented public transport system, Delhi and other cities of India will not be able to combat toxic air pollution. It is also clear that currently our public transport infrastructure is grossly inadequate. Cities like Beijing, for instance, have 107 buses per lakh people. Delhi has 17 buses per lakh people. But what is also alarming is that these buses are rapidly aging – all of DTC’s current 3600 on-road buses are over 8 years of age and will be required to be phased out within the next few years. This, when growth of private vehicles is a key contributor to air pollution in the city, is a matter of grave concern.
