Bengaluru: Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao has called for nearly 3,000 additional buses, wider footpaths and improved pedestrian access as key measures to make public transport more attractive and ease traffic congestion in the city.

Speaking at the Mobility Symposium 2026, organised by MoveInSync at Taj West End in Bengaluru on October 8, Rao emphasised the need to expand the city’s bus network and make it easier for commuters to access public transport. He also urged employers to encourage their staff to use buses and Metro services through incentives and better transport facilities.

The symposium brought together city administrators, policymakers, corporate representatives and mobility specialists to discuss public transport, last-mile connectivity, climate resilience and the role of employers in improving urban mobility. Participants stressed that addressing Bengaluru’s traffic problems requires coordinated improvements across transport services, pedestrian infrastructure and connections between residential areas and workplaces.

Nearly 3,000 additional buses planned

Rao identified increasing the number of buses on Bengaluru’s roads as one of the city’s major transport priorities.

“We are aiming to bring closer to 3,000 more buses in the city,” he said, underlining the need to expand public transport capacity.

A larger bus fleet could help improve the availability of services across the city and provide commuters with more alternatives to private vehicles. However, the benefits would depend on effective route planning, appropriate service frequency and connections with other public transport systems.

Bengaluru’s traffic congestion affects daily commuters travelling to workplaces, educational institutions and commercial centres. Improving bus availability could make public transport a more practical option for people who currently depend on cars and two-wheelers.

Additional buses would also need to serve areas where public transport access is limited, including expanding residential neighbourhoods and employment hubs. Coordinating routes with Metro stations and other transport services could help passengers complete journeys more conveniently.

The proposal reflects a broader push to make public transport a central part of Bengaluru’s mobility planning rather than relying primarily on road expansion to accommodate growing travel demand.

Wider footpaths to improve access to public transport

Rao also stressed the importance of wider footpaths and better pedestrian infrastructure.

Access to public transport does not begin at a bus stop or Metro station. Commuters often have to walk from their homes, offices or nearby streets before boarding a bus or train. If footpaths are narrow, obstructed or difficult to use, reaching public transport can become inconvenient.

Improving pedestrian access could therefore encourage more people to use buses and Metro services for their daily journeys.

Wider footpaths can provide safer and more comfortable walking space, particularly along busy roads and near transport hubs. Continuous pedestrian routes can also help passengers move between bus stops, Metro stations and surrounding neighbourhoods.

For Bengaluru, improving walking infrastructure alongside expanding the bus fleet could address two connected aspects of urban mobility: the availability of public transport and the ease of reaching it.

Such improvements would require attention to the design and maintenance of footpaths, as well as coordination between agencies responsible for roads, pedestrian facilities and transport services.

Employers urged to promote buses and Metro

Rao called on employers to encourage staff to use public transport through incentives. He also urged companies to work with technology park owners to improve transport access.

Corporate commuting is an important part of Bengaluru’s daily travel demand, particularly in areas with large concentrations of offices and technology companies. The travel choices made by employees can influence traffic volumes during peak hours.

Employers could support public transport use through transit benefits, Metro passes and workplace mobility programmes. Better coordination between companies and transport providers could also help employees access bus stops and Metro stations more conveniently.

Srinivas Alavilli, who discussed corporate commuting at the symposium, suggested that employers could offer public transport benefits similar to the incentives sometimes provided for parking.

“If you have parking as an incentive, why not a metro pass as an incentive?” he said.

The suggestion highlights how workplace policies can influence commuting habits. If public transport is supported through financial benefits and practical arrangements, employees may find it easier to choose buses and Metro services over private vehicles.

Corporate participation could also help improve connections between workplaces and public transport hubs, particularly in large office campuses where the final stretch of a journey may be difficult to cover on foot.

Better last-mile connectivity needed in Bengaluru’s outskirts

The symposium also highlighted transport challenges in rapidly growing towns around Bengaluru.

Sharath Bache Gowda, MLA from Hoskote and chairman of KEONICS, called for formalised transport networks in towns and municipalities around the city. He pointed to the high cost and unorganised nature of journeys between bus stations and residential areas.

Last-mile connectivity is crucial because commuters may have access to an affordable bus service but still face difficulties travelling between the bus stop and their final destination. When local transport options are unreliable, inconvenient or expensive, passengers may prefer private vehicles for the entire journey.

Formalising local transport networks could help improve access to major bus routes and other public transport services. Better connections between residential neighbourhoods, transit stations and workplaces would also help integrate Bengaluru with its surrounding urban areas.

Gowda stressed the need to formalise transport infrastructure in towns and municipalities, highlighting that mobility planning must extend beyond the city’s core.

As Bengaluru’s urban region expands, coordination between the city and neighbouring towns will be increasingly important for supporting commuters who travel across administrative boundaries.

Climate resilience and public transport planning

Climate resilience was another major theme at the symposium.

Rao called for a long-term approach to Bengaluru’s urban drainage and said preliminary plans were being considered to identify locations for public heat shelters.

Drainage and heat-related challenges can affect the comfort and reliability of daily travel. Waterlogging can disrupt movement on roads, while extreme heat can make walking and waiting at bus stops difficult for commuters.

Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani spoke about multimodal integration, single-ticketing and journey planning. He also highlighted the need to protect important transport routes from flooding and improve commuter comfort during periods of extreme heat.

These discussions pointed to the importance of designing urban transport systems that can function more effectively under changing weather conditions. Public transport planning must consider not only the number of buses and the routes they serve but also the infrastructure passengers depend on before, during and after their journeys.

Coordinated action needed to reduce congestion

Deepesh Agarwal, director and chief executive officer of MoveInSync, said the symposium was created to bring corporate representatives, policymakers, city authorities and academia together to discuss urban mobility.

He noted that the event had expanded from discussions focused on Bengaluru’s traffic congestion to wider questions concerning resilient and inclusive transport systems.

The discussions underlined that easing Bengaluru’s traffic will require more than one intervention. Increasing the bus fleet, improving footpaths, encouraging employers to support public transport and strengthening last-mile connectivity must work together.

The proposed addition of nearly 3,000 buses represents a significant ambition for the city’s public transport network. However, the overall impact will depend on how effectively the services are planned and integrated with pedestrian facilities, Metro connections and local transport options.

For commuters, the goal is to make public transport convenient from the beginning of a journey to its end. A combination of more buses, safer walking routes and better coordination between public agencies, employers and surrounding municipalities could help Bengaluru move towards a more accessible and sustainable transport system.