Getting Around India's Cities
How Indian Cities Move
How Indians travel in cities by walking, bus, two-wheeler, auto and car, why modal share matters, and how rising car ownership strains roads.
Modal share is the split of trips across modes of transport.
Indian cities
- Many trips are by walking and cycling, especially for poorer people.
- Buses and two-wheelers carry large shares.
- Cars carry a small share of people but take lots of road space.
Trends
- Rising incomes boost two-wheeler and car ownership.
- Public transport shares have fallen in many cities.
Why it matters
- A bus carries dozens of people in the space of a few cars.
- Shifting trips to cars raises congestion and pollution.
Policy goal
The National Urban Transport Policy (2006) aimed to move people, not vehicles.
The road space
On a busy road, cars take most of the space while buses carry most of the people.
Thinking most Indians commute by car
Most walk, cycle, bus or ride two-wheelers.
Key takeaways
- Modal share splits trips across modes.
- Walking, buses and two-wheelers dominate.
- Cars take outsized road space.
- Policy aims to move people, not vehicles.
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