New metro lines open with ceremony. Bus routes are cut without anyone noticing. Yet in Kerala, as in most of India, buses carry far more passengers than any rail based urban system, and they reach places metros never will.
Over the past two decades, bus services in many parts of the state have declined. Operators have struggled with rising costs and fares that are politically difficult to raise. Passengers have moved to two wheelers and cars where they can afford them, adding to congestion and road danger. Those who cannot afford them, including many women, students and older people, are left with fewer and less frequent services.
A metro can be a good investment in the right corridor. But a city that builds a metro while letting its bus network wither will not reduce congestion. It will simply move some of its traffic underground or overhead while the roads fill up anyway.
Reversing the decline of buses would require:
- dedicated space on main roads, so that buses are not stuck in the traffic they could relieve
- reliable, frequent timetables, published and tracked in real time
- integrated tickets across bus, metro and water transport
- a sustainable financing model that recognises buses as a public service, not only a commercial operation
None of this is as photogenic as a new metro station. All of it would help more people, sooner.
[Placeholder publication. Replace with real CRGD commentary.]