Emerging Private Sector Roles in Urban Transport: A Case Study of an Innovative Telecom-GIS Solution in Bangalore

Our article examines the role of public-private innovation in the development of the Bangalore Transport Information System (BTIS). BTIS is a successful example of new institutional arrangements that integrate perspectives, needs, and tools developed in all sectors of society to address the increasing complexity of transportation problems in Indian cities facing rapid socioeconomic transformation. Traditional transport planning approaches, such as road infrastructure development, have not kept up with the growing number of vehicles and have led to more, rather than less, congestion and air pollution. In response, the city is leading the application of now ubiquitous telecom infrastructure to support creative urban transport solutions. The lessons learned in the Bangalore case have been applied to other cities in India and have potential for other countries.