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“There is no government-run public transport in this completely private city. New generations might not even know what public transport was or why it mattered. Once upon a time (before 1970), red government buses run by the government of then-undivided Bihar operated in the city. These were the main mode of transport in Jamshedpur. Fares used to be as low as five or 10 paise. Nobody knows where those buses disappeared. Now, all you see on the roads are privately-owned two-wheelers, three-wheelers, and cars,” said 66-year-old Dhanraj, seated with an old friend at a tea stall in the Burma Mines area of Jamshedpur — India’s first private city, famous as a Tata township.
He reminisced, “Back then, bicycles and public buses were the only way to commute across the city. The population has grown significantly since then, and yet, ironically, there is no public transport.”
Shops across Jamshedpur still sell helmets, jackets, and gear for workers, reflecting the city’s working-class character. However, many recall a time when bicycle repair shops were commonplace — a far cry from today.
The statistics tell the story. A city that once sold a bicycle every six hours, now sells barely two in six days.
The western part of Jamshedpur, where markets and industries are concentrated, still sees high commuter movement. A small section of the city relies on auto-rickshaws, mini-buses, and motorcycles. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the main sources of pollution in Jamshedpur are industry and transport.
According to the 2011 census, Jamshedpur’s core urban area had a population of around 750,000. Including urban fringes like Mango and Jugsalai, the figure reached approximately 1.35 million. Locals claim the population has grown significantly in the last 14-15 years, with contract labor contributing to a floating population.
Rohit Mutreja, owner of the 70-year-old Jamshedpur Cycle Agency, told Down To Earth (DTE), “Sales of 22- and 24-inch bicycles have dropped by nearly 80 per cent. Earlier, we used to sell over 100 bicycles a month in this category, mostly to workers and company employees. Now, we barely sell 10 to 12.”
There are a few cycle tracks in the city, but hardly anyone uses them anymore.
“I stopped cycling in 2014. I now use a scooter,” said Deepak Rajat. “My office is around four kilometres from my home near Tatanagar Station to Sakchi Market. And since my sales job requires fieldwork, I need a vehicle. The roads aren’t fit for cycling anymore — they’re narrow and overcrowded.”
Pawan Kumar, a 40-year-old resident of Rupanagar, said, “I work at a studio in Bistupur, four to five kilometres from home. I earn around Rs 8,000 a month but spend Rs 1,500 to Rs 1,800 just on commuting. That’s almost 20 per cent of my income.” Pointing at the road, he said, “There used to be a bus stop right here. But it’s been gone for years. No buses come this way anymore.”
Sunil Kumar, a migrant labourer from Hajipur in Bihar, lives near the Howrah Bridge area and works at Tata Steel. He commutes two kilometres daily to Sakchi Labour Gate. “Though both private mini-buses and autos are available, I take autos or e-rickshaws because they’re faster, even if slightly more expensive.”
Ankit Kumar, a 21-year-old from Telco (Tata Motors Township), spends Rs 10,000 monthly on private buses to attend college at Arka Jain University, 25 kilometres away — a cost he bears due to lack of public transport.
A senior journalist in the city noted that not only is public transport missing, but even school buses are also scarce. As a privately managed city, people are entirely dependent on private modes of transport.
Jamshedpur’s industrial notified area covers 56 square kilometres, including adjacent municipalities like Mango and Jugsalai. All are administratively tied to the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee. Yet, their connectivity relies entirely on private transport.
Sanjay Pandey, a former official of the Educated Unemployed Minibus Association, recalled, “In 1975, Indira Gandhi launched a scheme in cities like Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Patna, and Muzaffarpur in then-undivided Bihar. Under this scheme, unemployed graduates could take loans to buy buses or autos. That’s how hundreds of mini-buses and autos entered Jamshedpur, and our association was formed.”
“Back then, with so many buses, we needed a system to manage routes and operations. So, the association was created. Since then, these privately operated buses have remained the city’s main mode of transport.”
In 2005, the Indian government launched the ambitious Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) to improve urban infrastructure and transport. In 2009, Jamshedpur was allocated about 50 buses under this mission.
The aim was to reduce congestion, traffic jams, and auto dependency with modern, affordable public transport.
However, the project fizzled out by 2012. At the Agrico bus depot, DTE found the terminal abandoned. Locals said even the scrap metal was stolen. The buses, now rusted and derelict, have been removed.
“Even private buses will soon be a thing of the past,” says Pandey. “Of the original 350, only about 50 remain. There aren’t enough passengers anymore, and it’s not profitable. Most households now own two to four vehicles.”
Transport data reveals rising demand for two-wheelers in Jamshedpur. From 2021 to May 2025, 204,896 motorcycles were sold — an annual increase of 8-9 per cent. Similarly, 9,000 to 10,000 four-wheelers are sold each year. Passenger three-wheelers and goods carriers also continue to be sold. Interestingly, e-rickshaws haven’t caught on as much here as in other cities.
According to the Comprehensive Clean Air Action Plan for Jamshedpur prepared by the Jharkhand Pollution Control Board in September 2021, industries account for the highest share (26 per cent) of PM2.5 pollution. Transport follows at 23 per cent, and road dust at 15 per cent. Other sources include garbage burning (three per cent), diesel generators (three per cent), brick kilns (two per cent), and household cooking (six per cent).
About 22 per cent of annual PM2.5 pollution comes from outside the city, indicating a need for a comprehensive “airshed management plan.”
While there were plans to strengthen the public transport system and promote environment-friendly options, implementation on the ground remains absent. The plan includes regulating the taxi industry by December 2026, developing CNG infrastructure, converting public transport to CNG mode, and introducing e-buses in metropolitan areas.
Additionally, measures to promote battery-operated vehicles like e-rickshaws and e-carts are also on the agenda, with a focus on developing charging infrastructure to ensure smooth operation. The deadline for these initiatives is December 2026, under the responsibility of the Transport Department and the Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee.
Yet, efforts for cleaner, more efficient transport and air quality remain invisible on the ground.
This article is part of our series on how India moves, which looks at the relationship between air quality and human mobility in cities and towns.