End of road for Indore BRTS: Public transit faces major setback

K K Jha
Indore: In a landmark decision, the Madhya Pradesh High Court’s Jabalpur bench has ordered the dismantling of the Indore Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), marking the end of an 11-year-old public transportation initiative that had transformed urban mobility in the city.
Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava welcomed the court’s verdict, reaffirming that Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s announcement would be fulfilled. “We will soon proceed with removing BRTS,” the mayor stated. Three months ago, CM Mohan Yadav declared that BRTS was causing inconvenience to the public and that it would be removed to ease congestion during his visit to Indore.
The BRTS corridor, spanning 11.5 km from Niranjanpur to Rajiv Gandhi Statue, was inaugurated in 2013 to offer a fast, efficient, and cost-effective public transportation alternative. Featuring dedicated lanes, it allowed buses to operate without interference from general traffic, reducing travel times and ensuring reliability for daily commuters.
Despite its success and growing ridership—expanding from 23,000 passengers daily in 2013 to over 50,000 by early 2024—the system faced criticism from private vehicle owners and certain sections of the administration, who viewed the dedicated lanes as a cause of traffic congestion. This led to public interest litigations (PILs) being filed against the system in the Indore bench of the High Court, later transferred to the Jabalpur bench, culminating in the decision to dismantle BRTS.

With the removal of BRTS, Indore’s public transportation network faces an uncertain future. The system played a crucial role in offering an affordable and reliable commute for thousands of daily passengers, including office-goers, students, and lower-income groups. The absence of dedicated bus lanes may result in longer travel times, increased congestion, and an overburdened city bus network.
Critics argue that dismantling BRTS could lead to a surge in private vehicle usage, exacerbating traffic congestion, increasing pollution levels, and reducing road safety. The removal may also disproportionately impact low-income commuters who relied on the affordability and efficiency of BRTS for daily travel.
Similar actions have been witnessed before—last year, the Bhopal ISBT was dismantled by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), with the execution duration set at 180 days. If Indore follows a similar timeline, the city could soon see major traffic disruptions and a pressing need for alternative public transportation strategies.
As the government moves forward with the removal process, urban planners and transport experts stress the need for a viable replacement to prevent long-term mobility challenges. Whether Indore will introduce new transportation solutions or struggle with increased congestion remains to be seen, but the decision undoubtedly marks a turning point in the city’s public transit system.