ITDP India

Promoting sustainable and equitable transportation worldwide

Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad Perception Study on Air Pollution and Low Emission Zone Strategies

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At Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, air pollution caused by road transport is a serious public health concern. To combat this, we need Low Emission Zones (LEZ), a strategy in which polluting vehicles are discouraged through vehicle restrictions and pricing measures. But how would the people of these cities respond to this strategy?

To understand how citizens would adapt to LEZ measures, we conducted a one-of-a-kind perception study across 20 neighbourhoods in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad. The views of 2,000 owners of personal vehicles (two-wheelers and four-wheelers) were recorded, capturing the following insights:

  1. Citizens’ change in travel behaviour in case of a ban on high polluting vehicle 
  2. Citizens change in travel behaviour if the high polluting vehicles could be still allowed by paying a daily pollution cess, instead of banning.

To know more, read the full document here

Cycling In Our Cities

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Cycling in Our Cities is a multi-city study by ITDP India that examines how citizens perceive and experience cycling infrastructure in Indian cities. Conducted across Pune, Pimpri Chinchwad, and Nagpur, the study aims to inform future cycling infrastructure planning by understanding what works—and what doesn’t—for everyday cyclists.

What Was Surveyed
The study surveyed 605 cyclists and non-cyclists and assessed over 152 km of cycling infrastructure across the three cities. It evaluated four common infrastructure types: footpath-level cycle tracks, at-grade segregated cycle tracks, painted cycle lanes on carriageways, and shared streets with traffic calming measures.

Key Takeaways
Obstructions emerged as the biggest deterrent to cycling, cited by 56% of cyclists, with parked vehicles, vendor encroachments, and motor vehicle movement being the most common issues. Shared streets with traffic calming were consistently rated as the safest and most comfortable environments, while segregated cycle tracks performed poorly due to encroachments, poor surfaces, and broken continuity. The findings highlight that effective cycling infrastructure requires not just good design, but also strong enforcement and maintenance.

Find the full publication here.

Reimagining Chennai’s Mobility For The Next 25 Years

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A visual comic that breaks down Chennai’s Comprehensive Mobility Plan, tracing how the city’s transport vision will shape movement, streets, and everyday journeys over the next 25 years.

This resource is available to read in both English and Tamil—click to explore.

Comprehensive Mobility Plan for Chennai Metropolitan Area

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This study report serves as the executive summary of the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) for the Chennai Metropolitan Area. The CMP is a long-term strategic vision that integrates land use and urban transport planning to guide mobility in the CMA over the next 25 years.

Read the full publication here.

Situational Analysis of Chennai Streets

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This study report assesses the current situation of pedestrian infrastructure in Chennai. Taking the case of 14 streets in different parts of the city, the report seeks to create awareness and a dialogue surrounding successes and gaps in the infrastructure, prompting the identification of future areas of intervention.

Read the full publication here.

Accelerating Clean Mobility through India’s ZEV Opportunity

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This publication dives into India’s electric bus journey and what’s holding it back. and the urgent steps needed to make it real. While buses move over 32 crore passengers every day, only a small fraction are electric. It unpacks why this gap persists, pointing to challenges like limited manufacturing capacity, inconsistent procurement, and over-reliance on short-term incentives.

Through engaging data, expert perspectives, and real-world stories, it introduces Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) availability standards, a globally proven policy tool that can transform India’s e-bus ecosystem. Drawing lessons from leaders like China and California, it lays out a clear, phased roadmap for India to electrify its bus fleets, boost local manufacturing, and cut urban emissions.

We hope this serves as a practical guide for State Transport Undertakings (STUs), the private bus sector, and policymakers at both national and state levels to frame supply-side regulations and standards that accelerate the transition to zero-emission mobility.

Click to download the full publication here: Accelerating Clean Mobility through India’s ZEV Opportunity

 

 

 

Status Report on Public Charging of Electric Vehicles in Tamil Nadu

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The report, jointly prepared by Guidance Tamil Nadu and ITDP India, provides a comprehensive assessment of the current status of public electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Tamil Nadu. It examines existing policy frameworks, market dynamics, and stakeholder perspectives to identify key challenges hindering growth. The analysis underscores the urgent need to scale up charging infrastructure to match the state’s EV adoption goals. Drawing on best practices from other states, the report outlines actionable recommendations to strengthen planning, investment, and implementation mechanisms.

Click here to download the full report.

 

 

 

Accelerating Sustainability: Electrifying Tamil Nadu’s Private Bus Sector

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This publication explores the electrification potential of Tamil Nadu’s private bus sector, which operates over 8,500 buses on stage carriage permits, serving nearly 48 lakh passengers daily across urban and rural areas. Despite playing a vital role alongside State Transport Undertakings, the sector faces severe challenges—post-COVID ridership declines, high diesel costs, and ageing fleets—all while lacking government financial support.

The report highlights how electrifying these buses can curb 87.83 lakh tonnes of CO₂ emissions, save ₹24,000 crore in fuel costs over 12 years, and reduce operational costs by 30–50%. Based on a survey of 153 private operators, it also captures their readiness to adopt electric buses if supported by leasing models, improved charging infrastructure, and regulatory reforms. With practical recommendations to overcome key barriers, the publication lays out a roadmap for Tamil Nadu to lead India’s clean mobility transition.

Click to download the full report here: Accelerating Sustainability: Electrifying Tamil Nadu’s Private Bus Sector

 

 

 

Chennai’s Perception of Premium Bus Service

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State Transport Undertakings (STUs) across India face declining ridership due to overcrowding, limited amenities, and competition from private vehicles and ride-hailing services. To address this, ITDP India conducted a survey on Premium Bus Services in Chennai, aiming to understand commuter preferences for comfort, reliability, and convenience.
The survey focused on private vehicle users—car and two-wheeler owners—to identify factors that could encourage a shift back to public transport.
The findings were compiled in the report Chennai’s Perspective of Premium Bus Service.

Download the full analysis here: Chennai’s Perception of Premium Bus Service

BRT and Metro Integration for the Mumbai-Pune Highway

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ITDP India conducted an analysis on how the Nigdi-Dapodi BRTS corridor and Pune Metro services, currently serve the city of Pune. Both these lines run parallel to each other and are complementing each other to ensure maximizing of the overall public transport usage. Key highlights of the study:

  1. The Nigdi-Dapodi BRTS corridor serves 1.5 lakh passengers daily, with 37 buses per hour during peak times,
  2. One bus every 1.6 minutes
  3. About 47% of users were students (18-25 years)
  4. Frequent users had a household income below ₹20,000/month

Download the full analysis here: BRT and Metro Integration for the Mumbai-Pune Highway