Samina, aged 31, looks out of her rickshaw at the grey Delhi air, worried. She’s pregnant, due in a month or so, and the baby is shifting again. One hand on her stomach, she often protects it from bumps, and the other hand holds the bar. It is during bus rides like this that she wishes she hadn’t forgotten her pollution mask. A long time resident of Delhi, she has read the news, she knows that the air is not safe for the baby. Increased chances of premature labour, low birth weight, the list goes on.
Delhi’s air pollution levels are not just a statistic; they are a public health crisis. With the city’s pollution 2.5 times above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQMS) and a staggering 20 times higher than the World Health Organization’s safe limit, the urgency to act could not be clearer. The root of this problem lies in multiple sources, but one stands out: transport.
The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) reports state that transport is responsible for over 50% of local air pollution in Delhi, making it the most significant contributor. The exposure to toxic fumes for the city’s most vulnerable residents — children, cyclists, pedestrians, and those living near busy roads — is alarmingly high, significantly above the ambient pollution levels recorded in the city.
Read more: Gasping for breath, Delhiites still opt for personal vehicles. Why?
The need to support walking and cycling
The Delhi that was once a city of beautiful tree-lined streets and landscaped roundabouts is now shrouded in a mist of smoke. 37% of Delhi’s commuters walk or cycle, yet safe, accessible, and efficient infrastructure to support these modes remains a distant goal. One can’t help wondering why Delhi’s European road dream has not taken off yet.
The answer is simple: a city that promotes non-motorised and public transport needs to also develop the infrastructure to support it. Inconsistent and narrow tracks and unsafe intersections, encroached cycle tracks and lack of safe parking spaces with longer commute distances, geographical constraints like the weather and terrain, under-utilised budgets — Delhi has it all. The city has just 100 km of cycle tracks, a small fraction of the road network that could potentially serve cyclists.
This creates an urgent need to invest in these three modes: walking, cycling, and public transport. These will not only alleviate pollution but will also contribute to improved public health, reduced traffic congestion, and ultimately, a more sustainable city.

Inadequate public transport
Despite the country’s disproportionate reliance on buses, Delhi has faced a chronic shortfall in the number of buses required to meet the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs’ recommendations. This gap is further reflected in the 45% decline in Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) ridership over the past decade, as highlighted by the Economic Survey of the Delhi Government (2023-24).
The situation is exacerbated by the lack of basic public transport infrastructure — just 1% of bus stops have wait times under 10 minutes, and only 56% of Delhi roads have footpaths, of which a mere 26% meet the required standards. The absence of well-designed bus queue shelters, along with inadequate and poorly maintained footpaths, discourages the use of public transport and makes active modes of transport dangerous.
Samina, meanwhile, wishes her travel didn’t tire her out this much. She wants to work as long as possible, and is glad to have a job where she can. Her wait for the bus, though, is typically more than 15 minutes each morning, time that she can’t afford to lose. The rickshaw costs more, and exposes her (and baby) to a concentrated chamber of fumes.
She often wonders how she will possibly protect her child when it is outside, taking its first steps, running around the neighbourhood park. A child, walking down a road, is walking with their noses at the height of the average exhaust pipe. That child breathes faster than an adult and inhales more air relative to their body weight, and could suffer lifelong damage due to pollution particles permeating their respiratory tracts, affecting their lungs, brains and immune system.
Read more: Delhi’s air pollution crisis: What the odd-even rule can, or cannot, address
Not all is lost
Yet, there is hope. Even as transport emerges as the biggest problem, experience around the world is showing that it is solvable. A survey by the Centre for Environment and Energy Development (CEED), Purpose and ASAR found that nearly 97% of respondents are open to using bicycles as a daily mode of transport.
Public transport, especially buses, can make a huge difference in tackling pollution. For example, Bogotá’s TransMilenio Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which serves over 2.4 million passengers daily, has reduced emissions by 1.7 million tonnes annually while cutting average commute times by 32%. Delhi has started to take steps towards this direction. With over 1,900 electric buses now operating in the city, Delhi has the third-largest electric bus fleet in the world, accounting for nearly 18% of all electric buses in India. This is an encouraging development, but it is just the beginning.
The recent introduction of Mohalla buses, designed to serve smaller, underserved areas, holds promise in making public transport accessible to all. Additionally, a shift to zero-emission buses — planned to constitute 80% of Delhi’s bus fleet by 2025 — signals a commitment to reducing the city’s transport-related emissions. But this must be complemented by a larger strategy that includes expanding dedicated cycling lanes and pedestrian walkways.
The proposed Delhi CycleWalk, a long corridor dedicated to pedestrians and cyclists, aims to improve walkability and cycling infrastructure, addressing the needs of non-motorized commuters. Private electric vehicles provide a temporary solace, but the numbers are not enough to counter the rising cars on Delhi roads. Attempts to reduce pollution through penalties for high-emission vehicles have often backfired, causing even greater congestion as vehicles idle in traffic.

The path forward requires bold action. Delhi must make immediate commitments to improve its public transport system, expand cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and shift to cleaner vehicles. Bringing together strong citizen voices, the Delhi Sustainable Mobility Charter of demands being circulated now, in time for upcoming state elections, is proof enough that Delhiites are ready to drive the change and drive policy.
Read more: Ahead of Delhi Elections, citizen groups launch charter for sustainable mobility in city
The demands listed in the #DilliCharter lists investments which will not only reduce pollution but also create a city that is more livable, sustainable and resilient in the face of growing urban challenges. The opportunity is here and the time to act is now.
good report especially the beginning. The entire report made in a journalistic point of view narrated the pros and vorns of delhi life on roads. Congrats to authors