Think rail, use buses. This appears to be the perfect solution for India's overcrowded cities seeking cheaper and more efficient public transport systems. What it entails is a bus system that operates like a suburban rail line service, by combining intelligent transport systems technology with dedicated transit ways which calls for specialised stations. Although the buses themselves will not be 'high capacity', the whole system works as a high-capacity option through automated fare collection and rapid disgorging of passengers. Does this combination of two different systems sound like a futuristic idea? Not so. In Delhi, the high capacity bus system (I l( IBS), or Bus Rapid Transit, as the system is known, is all set to roll later this year. The government is in the process of awarding the contract, and work on the first corridor of an ambitious 130-km first phase is expected to start by February. The entire phase is scheduled to be ready before the Commonwealth Games in 2010. The major advantage of a HCBS is that it is a decidedly cheaper option. While the (elevated) metro costs an astronomical Rs 100 crore/km to construct, the bus system works out to just Rs 6 crore-10 crore/km. The special buses are available for about Rs 35 lakh. The cost of travel is also considerably lower at Re 1 /km. Besides, it is a quieter and people-friendlier system on the road. Here is how the system works. Articulated buses operate on exclusive bus-ways, using one or two lanes in each direction. These lanes can run in the middle of the road or along the service roads. Passengers can buy tickets only at the station