Public Transport Crisis: Bus Services in 29 Municipal Corporations for Maharashtra Elections
Maharashtra’s urban public transport system faces a deepening crisis, particularly in its 29 municipal corporations, where inadequate bus services leave millions of residents struggling with mobility. As the state gears up for elections, the glaring shortage of buses has emerged as a pivotal issue, highlighting failures in infrastructure planning, fleet maintenance, and inter-agency coordination.
The Alarming Bus Deficit Across Urban Centers
Maharashtra’s cities require at least 28,800 buses to serve over 56 million urban residents effectively. However, the current fleet numbers only about 8,700 buses, with roughly 3,500 nearing the end of their operational life. This results in an effective operational fleet of around 5,250 buses, creating a staggering shortfall of approximately 24,000 buses, including those needed for replacements.
In the 29 municipal corporations—key urban hubs driving the state’s economy—this deficit manifests acutely. Out of 44 assessed cities, public bus services operate in just 14, leaving 30 unserved entirely. Even in served areas, the supply averages a mere 15 buses per lakh population, far below the national benchmark of 40-60 buses per lakh. Cities like Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, and others under municipal corporations bear the brunt, with overcrowded routes, frequent breakdowns, and unreliable schedules forcing commuters onto private vehicles or informal transport.
Infrastructure Neglect and Operational Challenges
Nagpur exemplifies the crisis gripping municipal corporations. Here, poor bus station planning and maintenance have led to chaos. In February 2024 alone, 297 city buses broke down, including 24 electric vehicles. Bus stations like Mor Bhavan suffer from ownership disputes between the Nagpur Municipal Corporation and Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), resulting in deplorable conditions. Only 25.61% of “Aapli” buses operate from designated stations; the rest clutter streets, exacerbating traffic congestion.
Financial inefficiencies compound the problem. Buses run with low passenger loads on off-peak routes while high-demand areas remain underserved. Promises of GPS tracking, digital ticketing, and smart planning remain unfulfilled, with maintenance issues grounding vehicles and wasting public funds. Across the 29 corporations, similar issues persist: overlapping jurisdictions among municipal bodies, MSRTC, and development authorities hinder coordinated action.
Mumbai Metropolitan Region: A Case for Integration
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), encompassing several municipal corporations like Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira-Bhayandar, and Vasai-Virar, highlights fragmentation. Multiple agencies—BEST, local civic bodies—operate independently without unified ticketing or coordination. In response, the state formed a 12-member task force in 2025, headed by BEST’s general manager, to draft an integrated bus transport plan. This includes streamlining services and introducing single-ticketing to ease commuter woes. Yet, implementation lags, underscoring the need for swift electoral commitments.
Policy Gaps and Emerging Initiatives
Maharashtra’s 2025 Electric Vehicle (EV) policy allocates nearly ₹2,000 crores for subsidies, charging infrastructure, and manufacturing incentives. While ambitious, it overlooks low emission zones (LEZs), critical for curbing pollution in 19 non-attainment cities under municipal corporations. Transportation contributes significantly to poor air quality, yet regulatory measures like age-based vehicle bans—successful in Delhi—are absent.
Recent decisions, such as canceling a 10% MSRTC fare hike amid floods, reflect responsiveness but do little for long-term fleet expansion. Public petitions demand increased funding for transport, emphasizing viability gap funding for gross cost contracts to procure new buses.
Election Spotlight: Promises Versus Reality
With elections approaching, bus services in the 29 municipal corporations demand urgent attention. Political parties must prioritize ₹1,000 crores in the upcoming budget to address 20% of the fleet deficit. Integrating services, modernizing fleets with EVs, resolving agency overlaps, and enforcing benchmarks could transform urban mobility.
Commuters in these corporations endure daily hardships: long waits, unsafe conditions, and pollution exposure. Voters seek concrete plans—fleet augmentation, station upgrades, and unified operations—over rhetoric. The crisis affects economic productivity, public health, and equity, particularly for low-income groups reliant on affordable buses.
A robust public transport overhaul could position Maharashtra as a mobility leader. Candidates addressing this head-on, with timelines and funding pledges, may sway urban electorates. Failure to act risks deepening the divide between growing cities and their strained infrastructure.
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