The Rajasthan state government's austerity drive encouraging residents to use public transport is facing significant challenges in Jaipur due to the city's inadequate network. Officials from the transport and local self-government departments revealed that the number of government and private city buses has steadily declined, while many key roads, including the vital JLN Marg, still lack bus routes or shared e-rickshaw options.
"For many residents, the nearest pickup point is miles away. With summer temperatures crossing 40 degrees Celsius, walking long distances to access limited services is impractical, making the government appeal difficult to implement in daily urban life," stated a senior transport department official.
Data from the transport department shows that Jaipur City Transport Services Limited (JCTSL) bus numbers have dropped from 400 as of March 31, 2023, to just 100 now. This reduction forced the corporation to cut routes and merge several into a single route. Similarly, private minibuses have decreased from 1,124 as of March 31, 2023, to a little over 500, further limiting options for commuters seeking alternatives to private vehicles.
"All buses went off the road after completing 15 years of service. While JCTSL is in the process of procuring e-buses, several minibus owners preferred to invest in other businesses rather than procure new buses," another transport official added.
Officials noted that metro rides could be a good option, but the service is limited to a specific stretch connecting the city's southwestern fringes with the Walled City in the northeast. With constraints across bus and metro services, officials suggested that the only solution for residents is to purchase e-cars to save on diesel and fuel. Most commercial cabs in Jaipur operate in hybrid mode, running on both CNG and petrol or diesel, while a large number of auto-rickshaws run on CNG or battery.
"The problem is that in a city like Jaipur you cannot promote cycling as an option. Most roads across the city don't have bays for safe cycling. Second, it's almost impossible to ride on city roads from 9 am till 5-6 pm owing to the scorching sun," another official added.
The situation highlights a mission impossible scenario: the number of city buses has reduced significantly in the last three years, several key areas and stretches across Jaipur lack bus routes, metro services are limited to only one part of the city, after zone segregation shared e-rickshaws are not allowed free run across the city, and heat conditions prevent people from walking long stretches.
