India
Mumbai
UMR Index Rank
#60
(=)
Score: 33%
Sustainable Mobility
#66
(-1)
Score: 30.6%
Public Transit
#54
(-4)
Score: 40.2%
Technology Adoption
#57
Score: 21.3%
| Population | 21.7 million |
| Surface area (km2) | 976 |
| Population-density (people/km2) | 22,206 |
| GDP per capita ($) | 7,487 |
UMR Index Rank
#60
(=)
Score: 33%
Sustainable Mobility
#66
(-1)
Score: 30.6%
Public Transit
#54
(-4)
Score: 40.2%
Technology Adoption
#57
Score: 21.3%
What Mumbai Does Well In Urban Mobility
Mumbai has a variety of public transit options, including bus, metro, rail, and ferry. The city has more than 3,000 buses, of which 13% are electric. Mumbai Metro has 17 lines and is expanding. In 2024, the metro launched a fully automated and driverless line called Aqua Line, which extends 34 kilometers (21 miles) from the southern tip of the Mumbai peninsula through the business district of Bandra Kurla Complex to the north of the city.
As a percentage of its GDP, Mumbai invests significantly more in mobility and infrastructure than its Asian peers. This includes investment of approximately ₹6,255 crore ($744 million) to construct a 12-kilometer (7.4-mile) tunnel between Mulund and Goregaon, two neighborhoods bordering Sanjaj Ganhi National Park in the northern part of the city. The tunnel is expected to reduce travel times from around 80 minutes to 20 minutes when it becomes operational in 2026. Other investments are planned to expand the existing 59 kilometers (37 miles) of operational metro lines, with over 140 kilometers (87 miles) of lines under construction and another 116 kilometers (72 miles) under consideration as of 2024.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index, Sustainable Mobility, Public Transit, and Technology Adoption scores
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
Challenges And Opportunities For Mumbai’s Transportation System
Like Delhi, Mumbai lags in the quality of its walking and cycling infrastructure. Footpaths, if present, are often not well maintained or connected. The same goes for cycling infrastructure. Several initiatives are being considered to improve the environment for active mobility modes. This includes a project by the Urban Centre Mumbai investigating new design interventions and low-maintenance footpath materials.
Mumbai lags behind many cities in perceived safety on public transport. Commuters often cite overcrowding as a reason for safety concerns. Many female passengers say that harassment is an issue. The Asian Development Bank is providing the metro with a ₹7,788 crore ($926 million) loan to invest in 60 kilometers (37 miles) of lines, as well as 576 new train cars with surveillance systems and dedicated seats for women and disabled passengers. The Mumbai metro generally reserves one car for women in all trains.
Dimensions of the Urban Mobility Readiness Index score
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley
How Mumbai Can Improve Its Urban Mobility Performance
Mumbai can improve the safety of public transit, especially for at-risk passengers. While seats and cars for women are a step forward, Mumbai can improve surveillance by increasing the number of security officers, including women personnel, and ensuring those who engage in unsafe behavior are held accountable. Better lighting at stations and awareness campaigns also can help. Increasing public transport capacity will be critical to addressing overcrowding.
To improve the city’s walking and cycling infrastructure, Mumbai can invest more in active mobility. The city can construct more footpaths and cycle lanes, especially improvements with added safety features like buffers to protect pedestrians and cyclists from motorized traffic. The city can better maintain existing infrastructure and ensure new lanes are integrated into a connected system that supports rather than hinders pedestrian and cyclist flows. This can include investments in footpath bridges and pedestrian tunnels for crossing roads.
Urban Mobility Readiness Index relative ranking evolution (2020-2024)
Source: Oliver Wyman Forum and University of California, Berkeley