85 percent commuters think Indian public transport is inadequate: Overcrowding, maintenance among major issues

A recent survey shows that up to 85 percent of Indian commuters believe that the country’s public transport infrastructure has substantial issues and is inadequate. The survey was conducted in over 21 major cities with the participation of over 50,000 daily commuters. With the focus towards a net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2070, it is crucial for Indian commuters to embrace public transport at a much larger scale and avoid personal transportation while moving away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles. However, in the current state, daily commuters have pointed out key pain points in the country’s public transport system, that make them avoid adopting a more conscious way of commuting.

According to the survey conducted by Tummoc, a patented public transit app, commuters face the following key hurdles in adopting public transport in India.
1. Overcrowding:
37 percent of Indians face discomfort due to overcrowding and avoid utilising public transport.
2. Unreliable timing:
28 percent of daily commuters complain about the public transport infrastructure being unreliable in timing, including delays and irregular schedules.
3. Poor maintenance:
Another major issue for daily commuters is poor maintenance of public transport and infrastructure. 24 percent identified it as a key pain point.
4. Digital information access:
Around 44 percent of commuters have claimed that transport-related information is difficult to access on digital platforms and is a roadblock.

Like the above mentioned paint points, commuters also pointed out other problems with public transport. 15 percent said there was limited accessibility, 22 percent cited a lack of information, 13 percent identified ticketing problems as a roadblock, 33 percent were worried about the reliability of digital platforms, 49 percent expressed concern over the availability of cashless payment options and 28 percent said digital security via online payment methods were a concern.

Overall, the survey indicated that 78 percent of participants acknowledge the importance of public transport, in addressing pollution and environmental concerns. 58 percent expressed concern over digital integration of the infrastructure and finally, 61 percent recognised the value of data collection and analysis in enhancing public transport and travel choices.