Fix, Don’t Forsake: Lessons From Guangzhou to Revive India’s BRT Systems

The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, once viewed as a futuristic solution to revitalise the struggling public bus services, is now being dismantled in several cities, including Pune and Indore. Following Delhi’s footsteps, which scrapped its BRT system in 2016, these cities are moving away from the initiative. The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) recently initiated the removal of the BRT infrastructure corridor along Nagar Road, stretching from Somnathnagar to Kharadi.

Ironically, PMC had previously demolished two functional corridors – Swargate to Hadapsar and Yerawada to Kharadi to “reduce traffic issues”. Similarly, the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered the removal of the 11.5 km-long BRTS corridor in Indore, while Bhopal executed the removal in 2024. These developments raise questions – whether the fault lies within the BRT system or its ineffective implementation?

These demolitions pave the way for more private vehicles on the road. Footpaths and foot-over bridges are overrun by two-wheelers, endangering pedestrians. To reduce road congestion and enhance pedestrian safety, our cities should prioritise the BRT system as a sustainable commuting option.

Ahmedabad’s BRT system was considered the flagbearer for Indian cities

Ahmedabad’s BRT system, Janmarg, was considered the flagbearer for Indian cities. The project received a lot of accolades, including the Sustainable Transport Award in 2010 for its successful implementation and well-designed infrastructure. It featured a central control system, contemporary bus terminals, and designated corridors, which contributed to maintaining service frequency and timeliness. Janmarg showcased that BRT is equally efficient as a metro and at a fraction of its cost.

The system has also contributed towards the city’s shift to electrification, as Tata Motors supplied 60 electric buses to Ahmedabad Janmarg Limited in 2021, highlighting the city’s commitment to a cleaner and emission-free transport under the FAME-II Initiative. Despite such developments, only a tenth of people commute via public transportation, with the share of public transit declining sharply from an average ridership of 3.5 lakh in 2005 to around 1.9 lakh in 2023.

Reasons include poor multi-modal connectivity and long bus wait times (up to 20 minutes), due to a shortage of buses. Ahmedabad has only 16 buses per lakh people, according to a CEPT University study. For comparison, Kolkata has 80, Mumbai 65 and Tokyo 177.  Ahmedabad shows that India should fix flaws in the BRT system, not phase it out.

Indian cities are plagued with traffic congestion, road-related fatalities and air pollution, of which private vehicles are the major contributors. Rising particulate matter reduces the average life expectancy of Indians by 4 years. Therefore, the government must prioritise sustainable public transportation rather than draining their resources on flyovers that cater to private vehicles. Building a four-lane flyover costs approximately 200-300 crore per kilometre, improving road capacity by 60%.

In contrast, investing in a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system could increase road passenger capacity by 400-1000% at a significantly lower cost of around 20 crore per year. This positions the BRT system as a more viable and replicable alternative to metros, as the cost of constructing an elevated metro system ranges from Rs. 280 to Rs. 320 crore per kilometre, while underground systems involve an even greater financial burden. Furthermore, a 2023 study conducted by IIT Delhi revealed that metro rail systems in Indian cities have attained only 25-35% of their projected ridership, which elicits concerns about usage and cost effectiveness.

In such a scenario, Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities can opt for this system very well. Commute times are expected to decrease due to the buses' high carrying capacity, the BRT system offering dedicated bus lanes, and priority at intersections. This is evidenced in the Guangzhou BRT system, where 30 million passenger-hours were saved annually. Additionally, BRT can be sequentially expanded or renovated as cities grow and their travel patterns shift. This renders BRT a future-proof solution for fast-growing Indian cities. Although capacity and coverage provide a compelling case for BRT, its adaptability with India's push for electrification makes it even more future-proof.

BRT corridors and electric buses align completely with India's sustainable mobility goals. The performance of the E-buses within the BRT corridors with fixed routes and dedicated infrastructure allows reliable operations, easier charging facilities and ensures they run at an optimal level. This synergy is essential for India in facilitating its electric mobility goals under the FAME I and FAME II schemes.

Until July 2024, out of 6862 e-buses having been sanctioned for intra-city operations, only 4,853 have been deployed on the ground. The Ministry of Heavy Industries has earmarked Rs. 10,000 crore for supporting e-buses, three-wheelers and charging infrastructure, as concerted efforts towards cutting diesel and promoting public transit.

Moreover, even with regular buses, pollutant emissions from BRT corridors can be reduced. This can be substantiated from a study conducted on BRT in Hanoi, which reduced bus-related greenhouse gas emissions by up to 22.4% and reduced the health risks by at least 4.8%. Electrifying these corridors will reduce urban air pollution and fossil fuel dependence. The transition to e-buses under FAME has saved nearly 88 lakh litres of fuel and curbed 74,000 kg of carbon dioxide emissions in India.

Moreover, complementing e-buses with BRT facilitates smooth, people-centric public transport, making mass mobility cleaner, more efficient, and more inclusive. Indian cities require a proven model to emulate, and the Guangzhou BRT system presents a strong case of scale, efficiency, and sustainability, providing a blueprint for big cities.

Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system: A global model for urban mobility

The Guangzhou Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system serves as a global model for urban mobility with the second-largest BRT network after Bogota’s TransMilenio. It transports 850,000 passengers per day and saves around 88,000 passenger hours per day due to high bus volumes of 1 bus roughly arriving every 12-15 seconds in a single direction. Additionally, the Guangzhou model draws its success from a thoughtful design – facilitating quick boarding and disembarking, and connectivity with bike lanes, metro rail, and pedestrian networks – providing a multimodal environment.

The city has been successful in reducing its dependence on private vehicles and shifting to sustainable alternatives, which cuts down emissions significantly and supports the city’s dual aim of sustainability and rapid growth. Guangzhou is committed towards providing a low-cost, high-capacity transit to its people by continuing to adapt and enhance its BRT system rather than closing it like its counterparts.

For Indian cities to ensure BRT's success, smart planning, robust design, and connectivity with other sustainable modes of transport, such as bicycles, e-bikes, and pedestrian infrastructure, are essential. Guangzhou shows that vision, determination, and perseverance are prerequisites for BRT to become a scalable, sustainable, and transformative force for cities, which even Indian ones can follow.

There is a risk of losing this revolutionary moment if Indian BRT systems are abandoned in favour of more costly and less adaptable options. Thus, in order to develop cities that are future-ready, sustainable and inclusive, India must fix, not forsake, its BRT system across the cities, for the solution lies in streamlining the implementation, not scrapping the model.

Animesh Choudhary Sanyal is a Master of Public Policy Graduate at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O.P. Jindal Global University.

Namesh Killemsetty is an Associate Professor and Associate Dean (Academic Affairs) at Jindal School of Government and Public Policy, O.P. Jindal Global University.

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