India to explore possibility of straddling bus after China trial runs it.

The trial run of world’s first Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) or “straddling bus“, which plies above the road and allows cars to move beneath it, has caught the attention India as well. The transport ministry is exploring the maximum details and explore whether such buses can be of use on highly congested roads in Indian cities. At a meeting with top officials from different ministries where presentation was made on highways expansion proposals to improve traffic flow on important national highway corridors, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned this bus’s feasibility in India.

According to media reports, the first trial run of TEB in Qinhuangdao in north China on August 3 was successful. Reports suggest that the 22-metre-long TEB is like a light-rail train that extends across two lanes and runs on electricity.

Sources said while the advantage of such a bus to carry 300-1200 passengers can address the need of an efficient mass transport system in Indian cities, it has the added benefit of being a non-polluting vehicle. However, one concern is that such buses fit into stretches that are relatively straight.

Brazil and Indonesia too have reportedly shown interest in this bus system. Modi was instrumental in the introduction of hydraulic pressure machines for tree-transplantation in Gujarat when he was the chief minister. Sources said that he had watched the machine in a documentary and had asked the forest department to see if it could be of use. Subsequently, the machines were imported from Canada.

The major cities in country face very complicated traffic problem due to increasing number of vehicles. People don’t have any reliable source to commute hence are more dependent on own vehicles. Developing elevated bus or metro rail incurs huge costs and delays in project due to demolishment required in development of project.

Transit Elevated Bus seems a project with less investment and looks to be effective to provide people with a reliable transport system at traffic choked roads in cities. What will be future of this project and how long does it take to get this execute will depend on the preliminary report which PM has asked officials to submit.