It's Not Just (S)Lower Parel, Mumbai Saw The Most Traffic Congestion In 2021

While a sculpture of a charging bull is one of the many visuals most representative of Mumbai, residents of the city, (to no one's surprise) spent more time stuck in traffic, than those in any other city in the country.

P.S. —Traffic congestion in the city was even worse than in Bengaluru! P.P.S —Yes, even after the hard hit from the second wave...remember that proverb about a dog's tail and that it can never stay straight…?!

In 2021, Mumbai ranked at the top in terms of traffic congestion across the country, according to the TomTom Traffic Index. It was 53% more congested than the baseline.

A 53% congestion level means that on average, travel times were 53% longer than during the baseline non-congested conditions. This means that a 30-minute trip during free-flowing traffic conditions will take 16 minutes longer when the congestion level is at 53%. While this is the same as congestion in 2020, it is 12% lower than 2019 levels.

Ironically, traffic congestion through the pandemic has been tracked as a sign of return to normalcy because of its correlation with economic activity in the early days of the pandemic. Going by this measure, which has now seen a weakening correlation with economic activity, things are looking up in Mumbai.

While Mumbai ranked first in the country, it was the fifth worst in the world for traffic congestion after Istanbul, Moscow, Kyiv and Bogota.

Back home, Bengaluru, New Delhi and Pune were second, third and fourth in terms of the highest traffic congestion in India in 2021.

• In Bengaluru, congestion level was 48%, 23% lower than in 2019.

• In New Delhi, congestion level was 48%, 8% lower than in 2019.

• In Pune, congestion level was 42%, 17% lower than in 2019.

Source: TomTom

Source: TomTom

Rush Hours: Is That Still A Thing?

Rush hours are still a thing, though many of us are still working from home.

Mumbai saw the highest rush hour traffic in the country.

In Mumbai, morning rush hour traffic was 57% above the baseline, and evening rush hour traffic was 79% above the baseline.

Source: TomTom Index

In Bengaluru, morning rush hour traffic was 50% above the baseline, and evening rush hour traffic was 73% above the baseline.

Soure: TomTom Index

In New Delhi, morning rush hour traffic was 53% above the baseline, and evening rush hour traffic was 77% above the baseline.

Source: TomTom Index

In Pune, morning rush hour traffic was 38% above the baseline, and evening rush hour traffic was 62% above the baseline.

Source: TomTom Index