Traffic congestion levels in major cities in India including Bengaluru, Mumbai and New Delhi have decreased on an average, as compared to pre-Covid times, according to a report by TomTom (TOM2), a geolocation technology specialist.

TomTom has released the 11th edition of its annual TomTom Traffic Index, a report detailing traffic trends seen in 404 cities in 58 countries, throughout 2021. 

According to the report, Bengaluru slipped to the tenth position from last year’s sixth, recording a 32 per cent average decrease in congestion compared to the pre-Covid period in 2019, with 49 per cent and 37 per cent average decrease in congestion during morning and evening rush hours, respectively. The city’s congestion levels came down to 48 pts in 2021 from 71 pts in 2019, which means a 32 per cent decrease. The peak traffic congestion also reducing by 44 pts in 2021. It saw its worst traffic day on October 9, 2021, when heavy rains caused certain waterlogged pockets leading to widespread traffic logjams and increase in congestion levels.

“The remarkable shift happened within two years, when it ranked as one of the two most congested cities globally in 2019,” the report said.

India fared better than global average

Three other cities from India were featured in the Index–Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune, that saw an average decrease in congestion levels by 18 per cent, 14 per cent, and 29 per cent, respectively. India fared better than the global average of 10 per cent decrease in congestion.

Despite a drop in congestion levels, these four cities from India featured in the TomTom Traffic Index’s global top 25 list – Mumbai (5th), Bengaluru (10th), and New Delhi (11th) and Pune (21st).

Change in work habits

A lot changed in terms of work habits and mobility in 2021. 

“The home office is becoming a standard for many companies; teleconferences have replaced physical meetings and flexible work hours allow many commuters to avoid and offset their rush hours,” the report said.

Peak hours have shifted in almost 40 per cent of the cities worldwide as a result.

Adoption of EVs

While congestion levels in Bengaluru have decreased, the number of private vehicles has increased as people found them an easier means to maintain social distancing safely, keeping the congestion lower than last year. At the same time, both the civic body and masses have encouraged the adoption of EVs (electric vehicles) in the city, as per the report. 

Speaking about the report, Sachin Tyagi, Strategic Automotive Business Development Manager, TomTom said, “At the heart of our location intelligence is the map. We work with big data and optimize our maps with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The real-time traffic information we collect to understand congestion patterns indicates that mobility options are rapidly changing as a part of the adaptable lifestyles resulting from the pandemic. While the congestion levels are lower as compared to pre-Covid times, it is mostly because of demand for e-commerce and changes in work patterns in Indian cities.”

He added, “We believe that policymakers need to be cognisant of the positive change, and implement holistic norms aimed at bettering road infrastructure. This will further take down congestion levels, and promote alternative sustainable transport modes, which could improve emission levels too. Adoption of better technology that utilises real-time data, bold investments and fearless policy decisions are the key to the transformation.”

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