In India the traffic system is followed on the left. This is a legacy of British colonial rule. Vehicles should remain on the left side, while the driver should sit on the right side. This is the reason why the door is on the left.

Sitting on the driver’s right side, the entrance door on the left gives the driver a clear view of the door. With this, the driver can keep an eye on the passengers boarding and deboarding the bus and can also ensure that no one gets trapped in the closed door.

Bus stops, platforms and footpaths in India are all designed according to left-side driving norms. This ensures that buses can park near the curb and are perfectly aligned with the door on the left.

The entrance on the left ensures that passengers step directly onto the footpath or platform and not onto the busy road. This reduces the risks of accidents. If the doors opened to the right, passengers would step directly into oncoming traffic.

If the bus doors opened on the right side, passengers would block the road every time they boarded or deboarded the bus. This would cause traffic jams, especially during rush hour.

This system is not followed only in India, but this same traffic rule is also followed in countries like UK, Japan, Australia and South Africa.