For decongesting their clogged roads, Indian cities must take the bus

Dedicated lanes for the public transport can be more economical than Metro networks

When New York City initiated a dedicated bus transport system in 2008, the service had limited infrastructure and used fare collection machines repurposed from the subway system. But for people stuck in traffic, seeing a bus pass by on a dedicated lane reportedly made for a compelling case to use the service and leave their cars at home.

Buses in major Indian cities carry nearly four times as many people as do their Metro rail systems, which are said to have lower ridership than projected. Many Metro networks are still being built so ridership could go up. But