Nagpur, popularly known as the “Orange City,” lies at the geographical centre of India and is also the growth hub of Vidarbha. With an area of 227 sq. km and a population of around 30 lakh (over 50 lakh if the metro region is considered), it is Maharashtra’s third-largest city. The city is rapidly urbanising and faces mobility challenges due to rising vehicle ownership, limited public transport, and deteriorating air quality.

 

 

Nagpur has two major public transport systems—city bus services run by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and the metro rail system operated by Maha Metro. Phase 1 of the metro covers around 30% of the city, offering a green rapid transit option. Yet, private vehicles dominate the roads. The city has about 23 lakh registered vehicles, with nearly 80% (18.9 lakh) being two-wheelers and 11% (2.5 lakh) four-wheelers. Alarmingly, in 2023 alone, 203 vehicles were added daily. The transport sector contributes 40% of total carbon emissions, pushing Nagpur’s AQI to 150+, which falls in the “poor” category. Two-wheelers, the most used mode, are also the most polluting—emitting 113 g/km of carbon. As per the draft Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) prepared by RITES Ltd., existing traffic composition is 42.6% two-wheelers, 19.8% intermediate public transport (autos, etc.), 15.6% public transport, and 5.7% cars. Public transport infrastructure is insufficient; while the norm prescribes 40–60 buses per lakh population, Nagpur has only 400 buses against a requirement of 1500. The combined daily ridership of buses and metro stands at 2.7 lakh, below projections.

 

 

 Nagpurians aspire for a lively, safe, healthy, and sustainable city, which requires prioritising pedestrians, cyclists, and public life. Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) infrastructure—wide footpaths and dedicated cycle lanes—is critical. Cities like Copenhagen, Melbourne, London, and New York demonstrate how pedestrian- and cycle-friendly planning improves urban life. Though Nagpur has wide roads, its footpaths are discontinuous and bicycle lanes non-existent, making walking and cycling unsafe. A study by ITDP revealed that only a few roads meet “Complete Street” criteria, with Ajni Square–Rahate Colony being the best example. Earlier initiatives like the Integrated Road Development Project (IRDP) in the 2000s focused only on road widening, missing the opportunity to build NMT infrastructure. Global experience shows that walkable cities are the most sustainable cities. 

 

 

One notable model is Barcelona’s Superblocks, where 400m x 400m clusters of streets are closed to through traffic, allowing only essential vehicles while converting roads into public spaces. This approach drastically reduced car trips and increased walking, cycling, and public transport usage. Modified versions of Superblocks can be replicated in Nagpur’s different zones. Other global best practices include vehicle-free zones. Cities like Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Singapore, and Paris have pioneered such zones. Nagpur could adopt this in popular commercial areas such as Mahal, Itwari, Buldi Main Road, Futala Lake Road, Ganesh Tekdi Mandir Road, and West High Court Road, permitting only pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport. Similarly, Low Emission Zones (LEZs)—already implemented in London and Madrid—can restrict highly polluting vehicles. Madrid’s 2018 LEZ covered its city centre, allowing free access only to zero-emission vehicles while restricting older petrol and diesel vehicles, with fines up to €200 for violations. NMC has initiated steps toward LEZs in Nagpur by identifying suitable roads. (The Author is Joint General Manager (Civil-Multimodal Integration, MahaMetro, Nagpur.)