World Car-Free Day: Mumbaikars Rally To 'Double The Bus' For Better Public Transport

On the occasion of World Car-Free Day on Monday , Mumbaikars rallied to demand increased investment in the city’s public transport system, calling on authorities to ‘Double the Bus.’ Commuters, civil society organisations, and transport activists united across the city, urging policymakers to expand Mumbai’s bus fleet and strengthen public transport infrastructure to make urban mobility more accessible, efficient, and sustainable.

The demonstrations, held at key transit hubs such as Kurla Bus Depot and the Chembur Law College bus stop, were part of the nationwide ‘Double the Bus’ campaign, which aims to tackle traffic congestion, air pollution, and commuting woes by urging governments to significantly expand and improve public bus services.

With banners in hand, demonstrators urged state governments and local authorities to prioritise the expansion and modernisation of public bus fleets, warning that cities like Mumbai are operating with a dangerously inadequate number of buses. As of March 2025, Mumbai has only 2,731 buses, translating to just 15 buses per lakh people, a figure far below both national and global urban standards. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ target of 50 buses per lakh for large cities.

“Mumbai runs on buses. Every day, lakhs of people depend on BEST to get to work, school, and home. But the fleet has been shrinking, leading to overcrowding and unreliability. Doubling the bus fleet isn’t a luxury – it’s a necessity,” said Bhagwan Kesbhat, Director of environmental NGO Waatavaran and a key organiser of the Mumbai leg of the campaign.

The three-day citizen-led campaign, held over Saturday, Sunday and Monday, extended beyond Mumbai, with rallies and public actions reported in over a dozen cities, including Bengaluru, Chennai, Nagpur, Pune, Kochi, Kolkata, Gurugram, Ranchi, and Thiruvananthapuram.

In each city, participants delivered a unified three-point appeal to policymakers. It includes increasing budgetary allocations for public bus services across urban areas, committing to doubling bus fleets in Tier I, II, and III cities with populations above one million by 2030, and modernizing bus systems with a focus on safety, accessibility, and a dignified commuting experience.

A Widening Gap Between Demand and Supply

India’s bus-to-population ratio is among the lowest in the world. According to campaigners, the country currently has only 24 buses per lakh population, compared to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ target of 50 buses per lakh for large cities. State Road Transport Undertakings operate just 1.4 lakh buses, and nearly a quarter of them are over-aged and unsafe.

Civil society estimates reveal a deficit of more than 2 lakh buses nationwide – with 1.3 lakh needed in urban areas alone. By 2031, India will require at least 5.85 lakh operational buses to meet projected demand, but current procurement pipelines fall short by 2.46 lakh buses.

“We are headed toward a crisis in urban mobility. At current rates, we won’t even meet half the demand,” said Shweta Vernekar of Parisar, a Pune-based sustainable mobility advocacy group. “The solution is simple and scalable – double the buses.”

Why Buses?

While metro rail projects have received significant investment, buses remain the workhorse of urban transport.  In Bengaluru, buses carry 47 times more passengers than the metro; in Chennai, the ratio is 88 to 1. In Mumbai BEST also known as the second life line of the city.

“India’s cities are choking on congestion, inequity, and pollution,” said Nina Subramani, a senior researcher with the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group. “Buses are the most affordable, inclusive, and climate-friendly transport solution – but there simply aren’t enough of them.”

Organisers point out that buses are not only cost-effective but also flexible. Unlike fixed-route metro or rail projects, buses can be deployed quickly, adjusted for demand, and electrified rapidly – making them essential for meeting India’s COP26 climate commitments. Cities like Delhi and Bengaluru are already leading with large e-bus procurements, but campaigners argue that much more needs to be done nationwide.

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A National Imperative

The ‘Double the Bus’ campaign positions public transport reform as a matter of equity, sustainability, and economic necessity. With India’s urban population swelling and road congestion worsening, campaigners are urging state and central governments to act before the crisis deepens.

As the banners come down and the buses continue to groan under pressure, the message from World Car-Free Day 2025 is clear: India needs more buses – and it needs them now.