Public Transport Crisis Undercuts PM Narendra Modi Fuel-Saving Push
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly appealed to citizens to use public transport to reduce fuel consumption and lower the country dependence on imported energy.
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Yet in Madhya Pradesh, the deteriorating state of public transportation is pushing commuters toward private vehicles and increasing fuel consumption. Consequently, nearly Rs11 crore worth of fuel is burned daily in only 16 municipal corporations of the state.
Since the closure of the Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (MPSRTC) in 2005, public transport across the state has largely remained in the hands of nearly 18,000 private buses. Even after two decades, the state government has failed to establish an effective and affordable public transport network for a population approaching nine crore.
The situation in Bhopal reflects the larger crisis. Once showcased as a modern urban mobility model, the city low-floor bus service has nearly collapsed. A fleet of 300 buses earlier operated across 24 routes and carried around one-and-a-half hours worth of commute volume for 1.5 lakh passengers daily. Today, barely 65 buses remain on the roads, transporting only 16,000 to 20,000 commuters per day.
As a result, nearly 1.34 lakh passengers now depend on private vehicles, auto-rickshaws and bike taxis. Meanwhile, under PM-eBus Sewa scheme, 100 electric buses were sanctioned for Bhopal, but the city administration is yet to complete the depot infrastructure required for their operation.
Daily fuel loss nearly Rs 70 lakh
According to Dr Rahul Tiwari of the Department of Transportation Engineering at Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), a low-floor bus carrying 50 passengers consumes only one litre of diesel for every four kilometres.
On a 20-kilometre route, a bus uses around five litres of diesel, making public transport significantly more fuel-efficient. In comparison, if the same passengers travel individually using private vehicles, fuel consumption increases nearly five times. Based on current commuter patterns, Bhopal alone is estimated to be wasting nearly 67,000 litres of fuel daily, translating into an economic burden of almost Rs70 lakh every day.
Metro yet to deliver meaningful relief
Although Bhopal Metro began operations in December 2025, the incomplete corridor has failed to attract significant ridership. Officials admit that daily passenger numbers are still struggling to cross even 100 commuters because the network currently connects only a limited stretch of the city. Experts believe it may take at least two more years for Metro to become practically useful for the public.
Efforts underway
Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL) CEO Anju Arun stated that the electric buses were expected to arrive by June and efforts were underway to increase the operational bus fleet. Madhya Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation managing director S Krishna Chaitanya said ridership would improve once additional corridors would become operational.
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