Historical Overview of Bicycle Commuting Trends in India

Bicycle commuting in India has seen a significant socio-economic transformation. It has evolved from a source of pleasure during the colonial era to a symbol of lower-class conveyance by the mid-1990s, and now, a representation of sustainable urban mobility. Bicycle commuting was promoted as part of India’s industrial self-reliance agenda under the First Five-Year Plan (1951–1956), supported by domestic manufacturers. Following this, municipal bodies supported its use among working-class men, but female participation¹ remained limited due to social constraints. By the 1990s, motorisation and liberalisation reduced the status of bicycle commuting, though it found renewed purpose through welfare schemes, such as school bicycle distribution programmes by different state governments aimed at improving access to education for the students living in remote areas. 

As per Indian Roads Congress (IRC): 11-2015, in many Indian cities, regardless of their size—80% of trips are shorter than 3 km, making them ideal for bicycle commuting.

Despite this potential, bicycle usage patterns vary significantly across regions and demographic groups.

Bicycle Commuting Preferences and Infrastructure

Bicycle commuting preferences differ significantly between rural and urban India, among both students and the working population. As per researchers, between 2007 and 2017, the proportion of students commuting by bicycle in rural India doubled from 6.3% to 12.3%, while urban cycling rates remained relatively stable (7.8% to 8.3%²). Among working adults, 21.9%³ of rural workers use bicycles to commute to work, compared to 17.6% in urban areas.

In India, the principle of “moving people rather than vehicles” was first emphasised in the NUTP (2006). This, along with NMT policies in India like the Cycles4Change Challenge by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), encouraged cities to integrate cycling in their mobility plans. However, most Indian cities still lag in developing safe and dedicated bicycle lanes. As per the Road Accidents in India 2022 Report published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), 1445 cyclist deaths were reported on Indian roads in 2022, many of which could have been prevented with the provision of dedicated bicycle lanes. Although more than half (Fig.1) of the working population commutes by walking or bicycling, most of the infrastructure investment in India prioritises motorised transportation, particularly cars. 

Bicycle Commuting & Last-Mile Connectivity in Mass Transit Systems

Bicycles offer immense potential as a last-mile connectivity solution, particularly in bridging access to mass transit systems like trains and metros. As per Census 2011, 3.8% of the rural working population and 5.2% of the urban working population use local trains for daily commutes. While the National Urban Transport Policy (NUTP), 2014, identifies bicycles as the second most important mode of transport for the urban poor, they are currently not permitted as free luggage⁴ on Indian Railways passenger coaches due to space constraints. This mandate needs to be revisited, as the introduction of foldable cycles presents a practical alternative to space constraints. To address last-mile connectivity challenges, several metro systems in India now allow commuters to carry bicycles onboard. While Kochi Metro⁵ allows the passenger to carry normal bicycles, in cities like Bangalore⁶ and Hyderabad⁷, foldable cycles are allowed onboard, supporting the concept of integrated and seamless travel.

Recognising the importance of non-motorised transport in enhancing the last-mile connectivity to mass transit systems, Kochi Metro developed its Rs 116 crore NMT project. However, its completion has been delayed due to a lack of support from other government departments, such as the police, RTO, municipal corporations, etc.

Bicycle Infrastructure and Challenges in Kochi

As per the draft comprehensive mobility plan of Kochi, the mode share of bicycle commuting accounts for only 2% (2022–23). Authorities had introduced bicycle lanes in the city in 2021 under the Smart City mission. The bicycle lanes marked distinctively in green were set up on Park Avenue Road, Shanmukham Road, AM Road, and Panampilly Nagar. However, today these bicycle lanes are inaccessible to cyclists due to illegal parking of cars.

The draft CMP proposes a 287 km dedicated bicycle network, featuring both shared and physically segregated lanes. Standards outlined include 2 m-wide bidirectional lanes on roads ≥18m and 3 m-wide unidirectional lanes on 12–18m roads. Efforts to promote active mobility also include the introduction of Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) systems, Safe Routes to School (SRTS) programmes, and NMT-priority corridors.

However, these plans face multiple operational and structural challenges:

• Currently, only 7% of major roads have footpaths wider than 2m.
  
• Encroachments on 59% of roads and the accessibility issues in Kochi’s NMT corridors push cyclists into motor vehicle lanes, creating severe safety risks.
  
• A striking 28% of road fatalities involve pedestrians and cyclists.
  
• Bicycle infrastructure is fragmented, poorly integrated with transit hubs, and lacks secure parking.
  
• Non-compliance of NMT infrastructure with IRC:11-2015 standards—Kochi’s NMT corridors frequently violate clearance requirements listed in IRC:11-2015, such as 0.75m distance from walls and 0.325m from poles, making them unsafe and unusable for urban cycling.

These systemic challenges are echoed in the everyday experiences of cyclists on the ground, as revealed through recent field assessments in Kochi.

User Perspectives for Bicycle Commuting in Kochi

Field assessments in Kochi reveal a range of critical issues facing cyclists:

• Deficient Road Infrastructure:
  Roads lack edge-to-edge tarmac, creating dangerous drops at the edges, while uneven and rapidly deteriorating interlocking brick pavements increase fall risks and discomfort for cyclists.
  
• Safety Threats:
  Cyclists are endangered by stray animals, especially in poorly lit areas, and by reckless driving of buses and cars; the absence of dedicated cycle lanes and protective infrastructure like bollards forces them into unsafe, high-speed traffic zones.
  
• Lack of Secure Parking and Integration:
  No secure bicycle parking facilities exist at metro or bus stations, discouraging the integration of bicycle commuting with public transport and weakening last-mile connectivity.
  
• Climate and Environmental Discomfort:
  High humidity, heat, and waterlogging during monsoons reduce the appeal and safety of urban cycling.
  
• Socio-Cultural Barriers:
  Women face harassment, including aggressive honking, and family discouragement; students abandon cycling due to safety fears, opting instead for expensive school transportation.
  
• Lack of Community Engagement in Planning:
  Key beneficiaries of NMT infrastructure, such as cycling groups and low-income workers, remain uninformed and excluded from mobility planning, resulting in mismatched infrastructure.

On World Bicycle Day: A Call to Action

Kochi’s vision rightly promotes urban cycling as a sustainable, inclusive mode of transport. Yet, there remains a significant gap between planning and execution. While promising strategies—dedicated lanes, Public Bicycle Sharing (PBS) systems, and school initiatives—are in place, their success depends on effective implementation, enforcement, and community participation.

The bicycle is more than a vehicle—it’s a catalyst for equity, health, and sustainability. While cities like Kochi have taken steps toward promoting cycling, the real challenge lies in turning vision into action. Without urgent, inclusive, and enforceable action, cycling risks remaining a marginal and unsafe mode of transport—deepening rather than addressing mobility inequities.

Footnotes:

1. The Journey since 1947-III: Can the Bicycle Come Full Circle in India? ↩︎
2. A silent revolution: Rapid rise of cycling to school in rural India ↩︎
3. Travel to Work in India: Current Patterns and Future Concerns ↩︎
4. Indian Railways – Rules For Luggage ↩︎
5. Now, Carry your Cycle with you on Kochi Metro ↩︎
6. Bengaluru Metro allows commuters to carry foldable bicycles ↩︎
7. Foldable cycles allowed in Hyderabad Metro ↩︎

Blog written by Nihhil Ali, Senior Research Associate (Urban), at Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR).

Views expressed by the author are personal and need not reflect or represent the views of the Centre for Public Policy Research.