China has begun testing the ‘Transit Elevated Bus’ or ‘straddling bus’ which allows other vehicles to move beneath it and this revolutionary idea of public transport has already caught the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
According to a report in The Times of India, PM Modi has asked the road transport ministry to gather as much details as possible and also find out if such buses can run on congested Indian roads.
The idea was discussed by him in a meeting with top officials from different ministries that was based on highway expansion proposals to enhance traffic flow on important national highway corridors.
The first trial run of the ‘straddling bus’ was conducted in Qinhuangdao in north China which was reportedly successful.
The 22-metre long, 8-metre wide bus runs on electricity and is capable of carrying up to 300 passengers per ride. Moreover, such buses can be linked together and travel at a maximum speed of 60 km per hour.
‘Straddling buses’ can be an efficient mass transport system in Indian cities and also help beat traffic jams. Also, it is a non-polluting vehicle.
However, such buses fit into stretches that are relatively straight, which are difficult to find in India.
