Cycling is Faster than Perceived - Beats Cars in Congested Corridors

  

Kolkata : SwitchON Foundation, with the support of the Sustainable Mobility Network (SMN), hosted a multi-stakeholder convening on World Bicycle Day 2025 at the historic Rammohan Library to spotlight the potential of active mobility in shaping Kolkata’s future. The event brought together senior government representatives, transport planners, academicians, and grassroots organisations, affirming Kolkata’s momentum towards inclusive and sustainable urban mobility. Eminent speakers included Dr. Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director, Research and Advocacy, Ms Ashwathy Dilip, South Asia Director, ITDP, joined virtually. 

 

SwitchON Foundation also unveiled its latest Speed Mapping Report, a comprehensive data-backed analysis of urban mobility patterns across Kolkata with comparison to Tier-II cities like Durgapur and Dhanbad. The study, conducted between 23rd April and 6th May 2025, covered 14 key traffic corridors in Kolkata, including VIP Road, Rashbehari Avenue, Esplanade, Dum Dum Road, Vivekananda Road, and Diamond Harbour Road, during peak traffic hours (9:00–11:00 AM and 5:00–7:00 PM). The analysis highlighted that Kolkata is at an important inflexion point, facing persistent congestion challenges in terms of speed, limitations in public transport efficiency, and an urgent need to enhance investment in non-motorised mobility infrastructure. The key findings of the report are-

 

1. Cycling is Faster than Perceived-Beats Cars in Congested Corridors: Cycles exceeded motorised transport on 60% of the studied corridors. In Tollygunge Phari, cycles matched the speed of buses (10 kmph) and outperformed cars during the peak hours.

 

2. Public Transport in Crisis: Buses recorded the lowest average speeds, often crawling at 10–15 km/h, particularly on congested stretches like Dum Dum Road and Esplanade. The absence of dedicated bus lanes and poor signal prioritisation were cited as major contributors.

 

3. Public Transport Lagging Behind Private Modes: Across major corridors like Esplanade and Rashbehari Avenue, bus speeds remain between 12–15 km/h, whereas motorcycles and autos frequently clock speeds above 22 km/h, demonstrating the clear disadvantage faced by shared public mobility under mixed-traffic conditions.

 

4. Kolkata vs. Tier-II Cities: Kolkata faces heavy congestion with buses at 10–15 km/h and autos as low as 12.6 km/h. Tier-II cities like Durgapur and Dhanbad show smoother traffic, with autos up to 26.9 km/h and better bus speeds.

 

5. Mode Highlights: Motorcycles lead speeds citywide, with Tier-II roads outperforming Kolkata. E-rickshaws, found only in Tier-II cities, operate at 11–19.3 km/h, signaling growing micro-mobility needs.

 

6. Decline in Speed with Rise in Vehicles: Kolkata has seen a 50% less vehicular speed to that of Durgapur, which can be correlated with the significant rise in the number of vehicles on road. In 2024, the city's annual registration of 4-wheelers has surged more than five times since 2016, reaching 31,991 in 2024 from 6,202 in 2016. Meanwhile, the registration of 2-wheelers has more than doubled, rising from 39,029 in 2016 to 90,871 in 2024 (According to Union government statistics).

 

The WHO estimates 1.19 million deaths globally from road crashes annually, with vulnerable users accounting for more than half of these fatalities. India reflects these patterns. In 2022, India reported over 4.6 lakh road accidents, leading to 1.7 lakh fatalities. In Kolkata, pedestrians accounted for 40% of road deaths, highlighting both a gap in safe infrastructure and a broader need for rethinking how urban space is shared. The exclusion of cycles on 77 key roads, paired with transport’s 50% contribution to city air pollution, underscores the urgency of sustainable mobility reform.

 

Dr Anumita Roy Chowdhury said, "Kolkata has taken important steps by including cycling and non-motorised transport in its policy frameworks. Now, the real opportunity lies in turning those plans into action. If we rethink our urban design to prioritise walking and cycling, we can build a city that is healthier, more accessible, and truly sustainable for all."

 

Some of the key panelists at the panel discussion, which happened in the latter half of the event were Mr. Satanjib Gupta, Bicycle Mayor of Kolkata, Bycs, Mr Ajay Mittal, Dr Christopher Gerber, FRCS, Senior Consultant, Spinal & Neuro Surgeon, Institute of Neurosciences Kolkata and Inspector Prosenjit Chakraborty, OC Traffic Training school, Kolkata Police.  The panelist highlighted that across Indian cities, early steps are being taken. Kolkata has launched New Town’s Green Verge Cycling Track, and interest is growing in expanding cycling infrastructure near transit hubs. Chennai has earmarked 40% of street space for walking and cycling in its new mobility plan and allocated 200 crores in its 2025 budget for non-motorised transport (NMT). Pune has allocated 15% of its transport budget for walking and cycling and is exploring connecting the Public Bicycle Share with the PMPML bus stops, and Bengaluru is piloting Safe School Zones and cycling corridors. Kochi is reshaping neighbourhoods through pedestrianised streets, while Surat and Delhi are investing in better footpaths, last-mile cycle access, and integration with public transit.

 

While these are promising signals, the broader shift is still underway. The challenge and opportunity lies in scaling these pockets of progress into structured, core components of urban design, planning budgets, and institutional structures across India’s cities. Kolkata’s data proves cycling is not slow—cars are. The city must choose: prioritize space-efficient modes (cycling, buses) or choke in traffic. Tier-II cities, such as Durgapur have shown the example, having double vehicular speed to Kolkata.

 

“Kolkata has one of the highest walking and cycling to work daily trips amongst Indian cities. In this context, dedicated cycling corridors and cycle parking at key points—like Rabindra Sadan Metro, Esplanade, and Garia—can dramatically improve access and safety,” said Mr. Satanjib Gupta, BYCS. “Kolkata has the compact form and commuting patterns to make cycling and walking not only viable, but essential.”

 

“We’re seeing encouraging signals—cities are beginning to treat walking and cycling as more than afterthoughts,” said Mr. Sanjiv Gopal, Asar. “But for active mobility to reach potential—for cleaner air, safer streets, and fairer access—it must move from the margins to the core of planning, investment, and policy design.”

 

“Kolkata's car addiction is suffocating our city - and our children. Our research proves cycles now beat cars and taxis on 40% of major routes, hitting 21 km/h while private vehicles crawl at 7 km/h. This isn't just congestion - it's a public health emergency. We must reclaim our streets: fewer parking spaces, stricter car quotas, and protected lanes for cyclists, pedestrians and buses”, said Mr. Vinay Jaju, Executive Director at SwitchON Foundation.