Parliamentary Panel Pushes Bus Transport Reforms

• Panel recommends replacing the All India Tourist Permit with an All India Passenger Permit.
• Proposes a National Bus Terminals Authority and a unified National Bus Digital Grid.
• Calls for stronger operator safety ratings, automated testing and emergency systems.
• Recommends electric bus transition, women-led services and an integrated tourist bus network.

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 11th Aug: The Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, has presented its 392nd Report on “Enabling Inclusive, Digital and Sustainable Bus Transport: Policy, Regulation and Public-Private Partnership for Next-Gen Mobility.”

The report was presented on Tuesday and had been adopted by the Committee on August 6, 2026.

The Committee has proposed a broad set of reforms aimed at making India’s bus transport system more inclusive, digitally connected, safer and environmentally sustainable.

New passenger permit framework
The Committee recommended replacing the All India Tourist Permit within one year with an All India Passenger Permit, issued by the State of first registration.

It proposed that enforcement be carried out through electronic integration of VAHAN, FASTag and vehicle-location data. The Committee also called for the commissioning of monitoring centres and ending border check posts in the six States where they continue to operate.

National Bus Terminals Authority proposed
The report recommended separating bus terminal ownership from bus operations and establishing a dedicated National Bus Terminals Authority on the model of the Airports Authority.

It also proposed a National Code for Bus Terminals within one year and recommended developing Gurugram and Katra as templates for modern bus terminals.

National Bus Digital Grid
A major recommendation is the creation of a National Bus Digital Grid with interoperability standards to be notified within one year.

The proposed system would include public live tracking, unified booking across public and private operators, passenger ratings, a citizen vigilance mechanism with geo-tagged reporting and a GIS-based network atlas providing information on punctuality, predictability and hazards.

Participation would eventually become mandatory for commercial permit holders.

Focus on passenger and operator safety
The Committee called for district-wise completion of Automated Testing Stations within six months and verification of fire, emergency exit and alert systems during fitness testing.

It also recommended examining retrofitting requirements for sleeper and school buses and introducing a published operator safety rating that could be considered during permit renewal.

Electric bus transition
The report proposes a Fleet Transition Compact to encourage bus operators to use leasing and fleet-ownership models rather than owning every vehicle.

It recommends a time-bound transition to electric buses, bulk procurement on standard terms, charging infrastructure aligned with operational routes and an end-of-life framework for electric buses and batteries within one year.

Women-focused bus services
The Committee has also recommended dedicated peak-hour bus services operated by women drivers and women staff.

Other measures include CCTV requirements for new buses, expansion of emergency alert systems, standardisation of onboard toilets and monitored sanitation at overnight halts.

Integrated tourist bus network
The report proposes a National Tourist Bus Grid connecting bus services with rail, metro, air and waterways through integrated tourist circuits and unified ticketing.

It also recommends centralised maintenance and repair systems for tourist fleets, digital logbooks and intermodal hubs at major destinations.

The Committee further called for dedicated budgetary provisions for public transport infrastructure, viability gap funding for compliant terminals and testing stations, and an annual ranking of States based on bus transport performance.

It also recommended reconciliation of national fleet figures, a federated national data architecture with States retaining ownership of their systems, and periodic publication of authoritative estimates of passengers carried by bus.