New Delhi, May 15 -- When 30-year-old Raman Kant, who lived in the Panthaghati area of Shimla in Himachal Pradesh, leaves for his office every morning, worry lines were clearly visible on his face. It now takes him an average of two hours and fifteen minutes to reach his office in Baluganj, just 14 kilometres away - whereas earlier, he used to cover the same distance in just 45 minutes.

Now it seems a major part of the day is spent jostling in buses, said Kant. "Earlier, travelling was easy, but now crowded buses, traffic jams and a shortage of buses have made life difficult."

His daily commute not only costs him time but also strains his finances - around Rs 1,500 of his monthly salary is spent on bus fares. Fatigue, delays and reprim...