Covid -19 pandemic has effected Indian Public Transport Sector in multiple ways. Initially because of the lockdown all public transportation came to a halt whether is buses, metros, taxis, auto rickshaws or other forms . When some of the public transportation modes such as buses, taxis, auto rickshaws and others were allowed to operate they started struggling with drastic fall in ridership to the extent of 90%. Even now where the workplaces have opened still the ridership is no match to the pre-covid times.

When the lockdown in India was extended on 17 May to 31 May as lockdown 4.0 many services that were prohibited earlier started. While public transport advocates rejoiced the starting of operations of bus operations, the decision to keep metros across India shut came as a surprise.

We live in a world where our surrounding landscapes are rapidly changing. Cities are changing, new towns bubble up, and so are economic priorities and policies of the society. Mobility emerged as a critical priority in the last century, but now in our times, the need for transportation has reached a climacteric phase, where its ends and meets are put to question. Without reliable mobility, cities become fragmented, people get struck in their lives, and economies take a beating, while the existing mobility systems themselves bray without sustainability.

Government of India is promoting the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in India and has ambitious to convert all vehicles into electric powered by 2030. Karnataka has become the first state in India to issue state wide “Karnataka Electric Vehicles & Electric Storage Policy 2017” to develop the ecosystem for EVs.

The 2nd UITP India Seminar on IT Solutions for Public Transport held recently in Bangalore reflected the huge potential available to develop advanced ITS technology for improving the country’s public transportation system. Ably organized by UITP India under the leadership of Dr. Ekroop Caur, Managing Director, Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, and Head, UITP India Board, the Seminar was hosted by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) and attracted luminaries from the transport sector across the globe.