Impact of COVID-19 on Indian bus operators
Challenges for the sector
Since March 25, the Government of India has imposed a lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19. Public transport services have been limited to essential services only. The ban on operations during lockdown, combined with fixed costs such as salaries, has caused significant financial losses to operators. It is predicted that even when services resume, demand will not resume to pre-lockdown levels particularly due to the physical distancing norms and passengers’ perceived risk of travelling in public transport.
UITP and the World Bank have surveyed bus operators across India to understand the specific financial and operational impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak on Indian public transport agencies, and the support needed as they prepare to resume their services. This Statistics Brief provides an overview of the specific challenges faced by the sector and the support needed to address these challenges.
- 1-2%
operating at normal services
- 81%
reported no ridership at all
- 38%
cited “crowd management to ensure physical distancing” as their biggest challenge
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