Current Affairs

Sustainable Urban Mobility in India: Integrated Solutions for Growing Cities

Author: VisionIAS Editorial Team

Sep 26, 2025Current Affairs9 min read

Sustainable Urban Mobility in India: Integrated Solutions for Growing Cities

The founder-chairman of Wipro has rejected a proposal from the Karnataka Chief Minister concerning limited vehicular movement through the Sarjapur campus citing legal and governance constraints.

The exchange between Karnataka Chief Minister and Wipro founder Azim Premji illustrates India’s urban mobility challenges. Premji declined to allow public vehicular movement through Wipro’s Sarjapur campus in Bengaluru, citing legal and governance constraints.

His response included a proposal for a “study led by experts in urban transport management,” with Wipro offering to underwrite costs for such research. This exchange highlights the nature of urban mobility challenges in India.

Table of Contents

Understanding India’s Urban Mobility Challenge

Sustainable urban mobility in India faces multiple interconnected challenges. The surge in private vehicle ownership, driven by a growing middle class and inadequate public transport systems, has created severe congestion and air pollution in urban centers.

This issue is compounded by a persistent challenge in last-mile connectivity, where gaps remain in connecting commuters from major transit hubs (like metro stations or bus terminals) to their final destinations, making the private vehicle an easier, though unsustainable, choice. Additionally, road transport is a primary source of harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxides and fine particulate matter, with India experiencing 43,000 premature deaths in 2022 due to transportation-related emissions.

From a social equity perspective, transport challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Low-income residents in unauthorized settlements spend up to 30% of their family income on public transport, highlighting the need for affordable and accessible mobility solutions.

The root cause extends beyond vehicle numbers to infrastructural and spatial inefficiency. Poor urban design and fragmented land-use planning create bottlenecks where even fewer vehicles cause greater congestion than well-managed thoroughfares.

Policy Framework and Implementation Challenges

India has established several national policies to guide sustainable urban mobility. The National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP), revised in 2014, promotes “moving people rather than vehicles” through public and mass transit, walking, and cycling initiatives.

The Smart Cities Mission has developed over 1,740 kilometers of smart roads and 713 kilometers of cycle tracks, with Intelligent Transport Systems monitored through Integrated Command and Control Centers.

However, implementation progress has been limited due to coordination challenges among multiple agencies responsible for city transport. Municipal corporations, urban development authorities, and traffic police often work in isolation, creating fragmented mobility plans with limited integration into broader city master plans.

Electric Vehicle Adoption and Smart Traffic Management

The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) scheme has proven effective in promoting electric two- and three-wheelers, with EV sales surging 24.5% in 2024 to 1.9 million units. The program has since transitioned to the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) 2024, focusing on commercial vehicles with a more targeted approach.

India leads globally in electric two- and three-wheeler adoption, supported by reduced GST rates of 5% and national policy incentives. However, electric four-wheeler adoption remains sluggish due to high upfront costs, limited model availability, and consumer concerns about battery life and resale value, with range anxiety persisting as a major barrier particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

The growing charging infrastructure includes solar-powered EV charging hubs in cities like Chandigarh, developed under financially sustainable models allowing private sector participation. Smart traffic management through Intelligent Transport Systems and Integrated Command and Control Centers has shown promise in reducing congestion by up to 25%. These systems use AI, real-time data, and CCTV surveillance to optimize traffic signals and enforce violations.

While India has made significant strides in electric vehicle adoption, several challenges continue to impede widespread penetration across all vehicle segments like charging accessibility, battery technology, and cost barriers.

Expanding Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) Infrastructure

Walking and cycling infrastructure represents a low-carbon, cost-effective solution for sustainable urban mobility. Even without adequate infrastructure, non-motorised transport accounts for one-third of all trips in Chennai.

The Chennai Non-Motorised Transport Policy of 2014 serves as a progressive model, mandating that 60% of the city’s transport budget be allocated to NMT infrastructure. The policy aims to increase walking and cycling trips to over 40% while eliminating pedestrian and cyclist deaths.

However, implementation faces challenges including fragile business models for bike-sharing systems and lack of safe, continuous cycling infrastructure. Cities like Ludhiana, despite being known as the “Bicycle Capital of India” for manufacturing, fail to provide dedicated cycling lanes for citizens.

Integration and Multimodal Systems

A major challenge in India’s urban development is the separation of transport and land-use planning, leading to urban sprawl and increased reliance on private vehicles. Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) offers a solution by promoting compact, mixed-use development around transit hubs.

Unified Metropolitan Transport Authorities (UMTAs) have been proposed to coordinate different transport modes, but only 15 out of 53 eligible cities have established them, indicating slow institutional reform.

Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) integration shows promise due to India’s high smartphone penetration and entrepreneurial ecosystem. MaaS platforms can integrate various transport options into single digital platforms, making multimodal travel more seamless.

Shared mobility services could reduce vehicle kilometers traveled by 35% by 2035, though many operate on fragile business models dependent on subsidies or advertising revenue.

Technology Integration and Future Solutions

Technology serves as an enabler for sustainable urban mobility but cannot substitute for fundamental planning and institutional improvements. Successful integration requires:

Intelligent Transport Systems: Real-time traffic management using AI and data analytics to optimize signal timing and route planning.
Digital Integration: MaaS platforms connecting public transit, shared mobility, and non-motorised transport options.
Data-Driven Planning: Using mobility data to inform infrastructure investments and service improvements.
Smart Infrastructure: Deploying connected systems for traffic monitoring, enforcement, and emergency response.

Financial Sustainability and Business Models

Sustainable urban mobility requires financially viable business models that reduce dependence on government subsidies. Successful approaches include:

Public-Private Partnerships: Engaging private sector expertise while maintaining public oversight and service objectives.
User Fee Systems: Implementing congestion pricing and parking charges to manage demand and fund improvements.
Cross-Subsidization: Using profitable services to support socially necessary but commercially unviable routes.
Asset Monetization: Leveraging real estate development around transit stations to generate revenue for system operations.

Conclusion

Sustainable urban mobility in India requires moving beyond fragmented, reactive approaches toward integrated, people-centric planning. The path forward involves strengthening public and mass transit systems, expanding walking and cycling infrastructure, and leveraging smart traffic management within robust institutional frameworks.

India’s urban mobility future depends on recognizing that sustainable transport is not just about moving people efficiently but creating liveable cities that support economic growth while protecting environmental and social well-being. Success will require coordination across government levels, partnership with the private sector, and commitment to long-term vision.