Zoho Co-Founder Calls for Urgent Public Transport Improvements in India
Zoho co-founder Sridhar Vembu has sparked a conversation about public transport in India. In a post that received over 170,000 views, Vembu praised Singapore's approach to curbing private vehicle ownership and called for improvements in India's public transport infrastructure. Vembu's comments were a response to a post by BJP leader Tejasvi Surya, who criticized a tunnel road project in Bengaluru. Vembu pointed out that Indian cities, with their high density, require extensive public transport to be livable. He praised Singapore's Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system and reliance on public transport to manage vehicle ownership. Currently, major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad possess extensive public transport infrastructure, including metro, suburban rail, buses, and auto rickshaws. However, the quality and coverage vary significantly between cities, and not all systems meet Western standards. The development of such infrastructure is mainly driven by government investments, public-private partnerships, smart city initiatives, and the expansion of metros and suburban railways. Despite these efforts, rapid urbanization, inadequate maintenance, and the need for sustainable, inclusive planning pose significant challenges. Vembu's call for urgent improvements in India's public transport infrastructure has ignited a dialogue about urban planning and the role of public transport in dense cities. His praise for Singapore's approach highlights the need for innovative solutions to manage vehicle ownership and ensure livable cities in India.
