Getting Around India's Cities
The Last-Mile Problem
Why metro and bus ridership suffers when getting to and from stations is hard, and how feeder buses, e-rickshaws and shared autos fill the gap.
The last mile is the trip from a station to home or work.
The problem
- A metro station may be 1-2 km from destinations.
- Without easy connections, people drive instead.
Solutions
- Feeder buses.
- E-rickshaws and shared autos.
- Bike and scooter sharing.
- Good footpaths around stations.
Effect on ridership
Many metros had lower ridership than forecast, partly due to poor last-mile links.
Integration
- Common fare cards like the National Common Mobility Card (2019).
- Multimodal planning.
Economics
Public transport is a network: its value depends on how well all links work together.
The e-rickshaw ride
A commuter exits a Delhi metro station and takes a shared e-rickshaw for the final kilometre to work.
Thinking a metro line alone solves commuting
Last-mile connections matter.
Key takeaways
- The last mile links stations to destinations.
- Poor links cut metro ridership.
- E-rickshaws and feeders help.
- Common cards aid integration.
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