Kolkata Tops India's Most Congested Cities List

13 Jan 2025 CW Team

The annual report by Dutch technology firm TomTom evaluated traffic conditions in over 500 cities across 62 countries. Kolkata’s average vehicle speed of 17.4 kmph meant it took 34 minutes and 33 seconds to complete a 10-kilometer journey, placing it at the top of India’s congestion rankings.

Bengaluru follows at third globally, with drivers averaging 34 minutes and 10 seconds for the same distance. Pune secured the fourth spot, with commuters taking 33 minutes and 22 seconds.

Barranquilla, the global leader in congestion, recorded the lowest average speed of 16.57 kmph, requiring 36 minutes for a 10-km drive.

Three Indian cities—Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Pune—feature in the top five globally for slowest average speeds, with London, the first European city, rounding out the list at fifth place.

Other Indian cities also showed significant congestion. Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai reported travel times of 32, 30, and 29 minutes, respectively, for a 10-kilometer journey. Meanwhile, Ahmedabad, Ernakulam, and Jaipur averaged near 28-30 minutes.

New Delhi stands out with a significantly better performance, averaging 23 minutes for a 10-kilometer journey, highlighting disparities in urban mobility across Indian metros.

The TomTom report analyzed over 458 billion miles of driving data, considering static factors like road infrastructure and dynamic elements such as peak-hour traffic and weather. "Urban design and peak traffic hours significantly shape city mobility," it noted.

With urbanization on the rise, the findings underscore the critical need for effective traffic management and infrastructure development in India’s cities.

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Kolkata surpasses Bengaluru to become India’s most congested city, according to the 2024 TomTom Traffic Index. Globally, Kolkata ranks as the second slowest-moving city, just behind Barranquilla in Colombia. The annual report by Dutch technology firm TomTom evaluated traffic conditions in over 500 cities across 62 countries. Kolkata’s average vehicle speed of 17.4 kmph meant it took 34 minutes and 33 seconds to complete a 10-kilometer journey, placing it at the top of India’s congestion rankings. Bengaluru follows at third globally, with drivers averaging 34 minutes and 10 seconds for the same distance. Pune secured the fourth spot, with commuters taking 33 minutes and 22 seconds. Barranquilla, the global leader in congestion, recorded the lowest average speed of 16.57 kmph, requiring 36 minutes for a 10-km drive. Three Indian cities—Kolkata, Bengaluru, and Pune—feature in the top five globally for slowest average speeds, with London, the first European city, rounding out the list at fifth place. Other Indian cities also showed significant congestion. Hyderabad, Chennai, and Mumbai reported travel times of 32, 30, and 29 minutes, respectively, for a 10-kilometer journey. Meanwhile, Ahmedabad, Ernakulam, and Jaipur averaged near 28-30 minutes. New Delhi stands out with a significantly better performance, averaging 23 minutes for a 10-kilometer journey, highlighting disparities in urban mobility across Indian metros. The TomTom report analyzed over 458 billion miles of driving data, considering static factors like road infrastructure and dynamic elements such as peak-hour traffic and weather. Urban design and peak traffic hours significantly shape city mobility, it noted. With urbanization on the rise, the findings underscore the critical need for effective traffic management and infrastructure development in India’s cities.

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