Kolkata traffic congestion emerged as the highest in India for 2024, according to the latest TomTom Traffic Index report. The Dutch location technology company revealed that drivers in Kolkata spent an average of 34 minutes and 33 seconds covering just 10 kilometres last year. This shift dethroned Bengaluru, which had held the title of India’s most congested city in previous years. Bengaluru now ranked second, recorded a close average of 34 minutes and 10 seconds for the same distance.
Kolkata’s Global Rank In Traffic Congestion
On the global scale, Kolkata ranked second in terms of slowest average speeds, with drivers traveling at just 17.4 km/h. Bengaluru followed with an average speed of 17.6 km/h, while Pune, another Indian city, ranked fourth globally, recording an average speed of 18 km/h.
Globally, Barranquilla in Colombia claimed the title of the slowest city, where drivers took 36 minutes to travel 10 kilometers at an average speed of 10.3 mph.
Top Congested Indian Cities
India’s top congested cities for 2024 included Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Pune, which ranked among the top five globally. Other cities such as Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai also featured prominently. Hyderabad recorded an average travel time of 32 minutes for 10 kilometers, Chennai clocked in at 30 minutes, and Mumbai matched 29 minutes.
New Delhi stood out as a stark contrast, with an average travel time of just 23 minutes for a 10-kilometer journey, ranking it much lower on the congestion scale. Other notable mentions include Ahmedabad, Ernakulam, and Jaipur, with travel times ranging from 28 to 29 minutes.
A Widening Global Trend In Congestion
The TomTom report observed a worsening trend in traffic congestion across the globe. Of the 500 cities analyzed in 62 countries, 76% experienced slower travel times in 2024 compared to the previous year. The study relied on extensive data collected from over 458 billion miles of driving, offering a comprehensive look at traffic patterns and urban mobility.
The report analyzed both static factors like road infrastructure and urban design, as well as dynamic influences such as peak-hour traffic and weather conditions. These combined elements shaped the congestion scenarios faced by cities like Kolkata and Bengaluru.
Urban Planning And Sustainable Solutions
TomTom Vice President of Traffic, Ralf-Peter Schäfer, highlighted the challenges posed by outdated infrastructure and rapid urbanization. “Static factors such as road infrastructure and urban design, along with dynamic influences like peak-hour traffic and weather, exacerbate urban congestion,” Schäfer stated.
Schäfer emphasized the need for sustainable urban mobility solutions to address the growing challenges of traffic congestion. Smarter transportation systems, efficient road planning, and public transportation investments are crucial for cities like Kolkata to overcome these mobility issues.
The findings underscore the critical need for innovation in urban planning to reduce Kolkata traffic congestion and ensure smoother urban mobility for the future.