7. Urban Mobility Trends in Indian Cities and Its Implications

The world is increasingly looking at the developing nations as potential markets and is eagerly waiting to see how the nations perform in the coming years. Efficient transportation system is essential for a country’s development – especially in urban areas that contribute to the majority of gross domestic product (GDP) of a country. Past decade saw enormous developments in transportation infrastructure in India. This chapter evaluates the current state of mobility in Indian cities based on the aspects of demography and economy, transportation policy and transport costs, transport demand and transport supply. It provides a comparative analysis between the five representative sample Indian cities of Delhi, Bangalore, Lucknow, Indore and Guwahati and looks at the underlying factors responsible for the observed trends. Lastly, it discusses the implications of the observed patterns to provide a base for planning and policy level decisions related to urban mobility.