With 95% buses still off the roads, public transport continues to be at a standstill

Despite the quantum of passengers, bus transporters are currently facing losses to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore a month, in the absence of clear guidelines from the government about restarting private buses for intra-city transport, according to BOCI President Prasanna Patwardhan.

"At the moment, some public operators such as BMTC in Bengaluru and BEST in Mumbai are functional, but one must remember that the government operates buses in very few cities. As far as most of the country is concerned, public transport is at a standstill," Patwardhan said in an exclusive conversation with CNBC-TV18.

"We have no visibility from the government in terms of when we will be able to operat. When we do start operations, we are looking at serious economic and supply side challenges," he added.

At present, only 10% or about 1.5 lakh of the total 1.7 million buses in India are operated by state transportation units (STUs), and the rest are privately operated, according to BOCI.

Patwardhan highlights that at least 30%-40% employees at present have gone back to their native villages or towns, and may not come back. Most drivers and conductors, mechanics etc employed with the bus industry are from the farming background, and are unlikely to return during the monsoon season. In that event, the shortage of drivers may persist for 2-3 months, till October- November, he says.

Add to that, the financial burden of servicing loans, paying taxes and plying buses below-occupancy will add an economic challenge, leading to potential bankruptcy for many.

"Owners with small fleets may go bankrupt. Operators are almost broke, and getting vehicles on the road itself is a challenge. Running buses with social distancing will lead to huge losses, and will be economically impossible" he explains, adding "More number of buses will be required with social distancing, but there will be a shortfall in supply."

A huge number of people may not be able to join the workforce, not join their schools or universities, if the govt doesn't support bus operators at this time, he concluded.