New Delhi, Oct. 6 -- Indian cities are increasingly trapped in congestion that wastes time, worsens air pollution and damages quality of life. Travel times routinely rise sharply during peak hours, while vehicles crawling through traffic burn fuel inefficiently and increase exposure to harmful pollutants. The problem is no longer confined to India's biggest metros; smaller and million-plus cities are following the same trajectory.
An analysis of mobility patterns across more than 40 cities by Down To Earth reveals a striking contradiction. Walking and cycling remain fundamental to urban mobility, with nearly half the population in several major cities depending on these modes. Non-motorised transport accounts for 42 per cent of commuting in Delhi, 47 per cent in Mumbai and 48 per cent in Kolkata. In cities such as Varanasi, Singrauli and Visakhapatnam, its share exceeds 50 per cent. Yet most urban roads remain poorly designed for pedestrians and cyclists.
At the same time, private vehicles are multiplying rapidly. India registered 25.5 million vehicles in 2024-25, more than 88 per cent of them for personal mobility. Two-wheelers dominate private motorised travel in several large cities, while car dependence is rising even in smaller towns. Gangtok, for instance, records 54 per cent of trips by car. Such dependence often reflects inadequate, expensive or poorly connected public transport rather than simply growing prosperity.
Public transport has struggled to keep pace. Mega and metro cities have recorded a decline in the share of bus trips, while investment in metro systems has produced only a modest shift in overall mobility. Where formal systems are weak, shared autos, e-rickshaws and informal minibuses increasingly fill the gap. They provide essential last-mile connectivity but, without integration into wider transport networks, can also add to congestion and safety problems.
Urban expansion is compounding the crisis. In mega and metro cities, people are making more trips and travelling farther than they did 15 to 20 years ago. Delhi's average trip length has increased from around 6 km to nearly 11 km. Longer distances between homes, workplaces and essential services encourage greater dependence on private vehicles.
Building more roads is unlikely to solve the problem. Delhi already devotes around 23 per cent of its land to roads, yet remains heavily congested. Instead, cities need reliable buses, integrated public transport, better last-mile connectivity and safe infrastructure for walking and cycling. Urban planning must also bring homes, employment and services closer together.
Vehicle use must be managed through parking controls, congestion pricing and policies that reflect the true costs of private mobility. Better mobility data is equally essential because many cities still rely on outdated information. India's urban transport crisis ultimately requires a change in priorities: cities must be planned around people rather than cars.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.