India's public transport system is a vital lifeline for millions, offering affordable access to jobs, education and healthcare opportunities. As India's cities continue to grow, our urban population is projected to surpass 600 million by 2030, creating an unprecedented rise in transportation demands. Cities are facing escalated congestion, air pollution and sprawl, hindering optimal economic growth and exacerbating inequality. 

This rapid expansion of our urban centres can be handled effectively and sustainably with four key transitions: expansion and improvement of public transport services, a widespread adoption of zero-emission vehicles, establishing robust first and last-mile connectivity and seamless integration of smart mobility solutions across the transport ecosystem.  

WRI India works at the national, sub-national and local levels with government, industry, academia and other transport stakeholders to advance high quality public transport services along with seamless first and last mile solutions, and non-motorised transport modes like cycling and walking. 

We offer technical assistance and evidence-based research in planning and operations of bus-based transport. We help develop innovative business models and facilitate effective implementation of various transport policies. 

We work with a range of stakeholders to co-create solutions that can address the rising mobility demand seamlessly and enhance end-user experience to nudge a behavioural shift from private to public transport modes. Currently, we are working towards adopting the core principles of digital public infrastructure (DPI) – which has shown astounding success in solutions like Aadhaar and unified payments interface (UPI) – to solve critical systemic challenges in the ecosystem. 

Technology-driven solutions based on DPI principles can enable efficient, clean, and shared mobility. These strategic measures can help overcome existing challenges and build accessible, reliable, and sustainable urban transport systems. 

Caption: DPI framework for bus ecosystem
Caption: DPI framework for bus ecosystem

 KEY WORK AREAS 
 

Capacity Building with Bus Karo 

 WRI India supports the national ambition to augment public bus fleets to enable efficient and sustainable transit to commuters. Through our flagship Bus Karo program, we have adopted a four-pronged approach to electrify, prioritize, optimize and digitalize public transport.  

 

Technical Support for Informed Decision-Making 

 WRI India's evidence-based research and technical expertise validated the aggregation model through the Grand Challenge, directly shaping the National Electric Bus Program's (NEBP) goal of 50,000 electric buses by 2030 ($10 billion investment). This support extends to the PM-e Bus Sewa Scheme for 10,000 e-buses, prioritizing underserved cities with INR 200 billion government funding. Learn more about our work on promoting electric buses. (CROSS LINK TO E-BUS PAGE) 

 

Fostering Open Data 

 In the transport sector, data often exists in silos. The lack of a unified platform for transportation usage across cities and last-mile requirements limit the ability to analyse and compare trends. This fragmentation prevents stakeholders from making meaningful comparisons or developing effective evidence-based policies. Through the Transport Analytics Hub, we are working towards making data accessible and equipping all stakeholders to make better, informed choices.