Getting Around India's Cities
The Cost of Long Commutes
How long commutes in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi cost workers time and money, why people live far from jobs, and how commutes affect productivity and wellbeing.
Long commutes have real costs.
Examples
- Mumbai’s suburban trains carry millions daily, with long journeys.
- Bengaluru traffic is known for slow speeds.
Why people live far
- Cheaper housing on the edges.
- Jobs concentrated in central areas.
Costs
- Time: an opportunity cost of work, rest or family.
- Money: fares and fuel.
- Health: stress and pollution.
Productivity
Congestion lowers city productivity, since workers reach fewer jobs in reasonable time.
Solutions
- Better public transport.
- Mixed-use zoning with homes near jobs.
- Remote and hybrid work.
The two-hour commute
A worker in Mumbai spends four hours a day commuting from a suburb where rent is affordable.
Thinking commute time is free
It's an opportunity cost.
Key takeaways
- Long commutes cost time, money and health.
- Cheap housing is often far from jobs.
- Congestion lowers productivity.
- Transit and mixed-use zoning help.
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