Maharashtra is grappling with a critical shortfall in its public transportation network, with a recent study revealing the urgent need for 24,000 additional buses to meet the growing demands of its urban population. The findings, released by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India, underscored the need to significantly expand the state’s bus fleet to provide adequate services for its 5.6 crore residents.
Currently, the state operates only 8,700 buses, and approximately 3,500 of them are nearing the end of their service life. Experts have estimated that Maharashtra requires a minimum of 28,800 buses to address this gap. Despite the high population density across the state, 30 out of 44 cities with populations exceeding two lakh have no organized public transportation system, leaving millions dependent on private vehicles or informal transport options.
The report highlighted that even in cities where bus services are operational, fleet sizes remain grossly inadequate. Against the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ recommendation of 40-60 buses per lakh population, Maharashtra averages only 15 buses per lakh. Cities like Mumbai, Pune, and Pimpri Chinchwad exemplify the crisis. Mumbai, with its existing fleet of 3,600 buses, reportedly needs at least 8,000 to meet current demands. Similarly, Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad collectively require 4,500 buses, more than double their current fleet size of 2,200. Smaller cities like Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar operate only 90 buses, far below the 1,000 required to serve commuters effectively.
Although the government’s PM e-Bus Sewa scheme has introduced 1,950 electric buses across 23 cities in Maharashtra, this accounts for less than 10% of the total requirement in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The report emphasized that these initiatives, while beneficial, fall short of addressing the broader transportation needs of the state.
Expanding Maharashtra’s bus fleet, the study noted, could have significant environmental and economic benefits. By adding 24,000 buses, the state could eliminate millions of car and two-wheeler trips daily, reduce congestion, and cut carbon emissions by 30,000 tonnes annually, equivalent to planting five lakh trees. Moreover, such an expansion could create 1.5 lakh jobs and provide affordable mobility for over five crore citizens. Experts have urged the government to prioritize this issue in the upcoming budget. It has been suggested that allocating Rs 1,000 crore toward viability gap funding could help address 20% of the deficit, paving the way for a more sustainable and efficient transportation network in Maharashtra.
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