Bengaluru Reworks Transport Strategy Amid Traffic Crisis
Bengaluru is preparing a comprehensive overhaul of how people and goods move across the metropolitan region, as worsening congestion begins to pose economic and environmental risks to India’s technology capital. Urban transport authorities have initiated the process to update the city’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan, signalling a long-term reset of transport priorities to reflect rapid urban expansion, new infrastructure, and changing travel behaviour.
The revised plan will replace the current framework that relies on travel data collected more than a decade ago an increasingly poor fit for a city that has expanded outward, added new employment hubs, and invested heavily in mass transit. Urban planners say outdated assumptions have weakened coordination between land use, transport investment, and climate objectives, even as traffic delays erode productivity and quality of life.
Officials involved in the process said the new mobility roadmap is being developed to align with national urban transport guidelines, which require cities to refresh mobility plans regularly to qualify for central funding. More importantly, the revision is expected to bring transport planning in sync with Bengaluru’s next master plan, enabling denser, transit-linked growth rather than car-dependent sprawl. Over the past five years, the city’s mobility ecosystem has shifted significantly. Metro rail extensions have expanded coverage across key corridors, while planning for a long-term rapid transit network stretching into the 2040s is already underway. At the same time, suburban rail, bus system upgrades, and policy interventions such as demand-based parking regulation and transit-oriented development norms are reshaping how commuters make daily choices. Major road projects including ring roads, grade separators, and proposed underground corridors are also expected to come under closer scrutiny. Urban mobility experts note that the revised Comprehensive Mobility Plan will assess whether such investments reduce overall travel demand or risk locking the city into high-carbon transport patterns.
The region’s airport expansion has added another layer of complexity. With passenger volumes rising steadily and terminal capacity increasing, surface connectivity to the airport has become a strategic concern for freight movement, tourism, and business travel. Planners say future mobility solutions will need to prioritise high-capacity public transport and seamless intermodal links rather than incremental road widening. Crucially, the new plan is expected to emphasise walking, cycling, and low-emission transport as essential not optional components of urban infrastructure. Officials indicated that fresh surveys, updated travel demand modelling, and structured consultations with citizens, operators, and institutions will inform the strategy. For residents, the stakes are high. A credible, data-driven Comprehensive Mobility Plan could ease daily commutes, improve air quality, and support more inclusive access to jobs and services. For the city’s economy, it may determine whether Bengaluru can continue to grow without grinding to a halt.
