NCR is witnessing a world-class mobility transformation

The National Capital Region (NCR) has significant influence as a political and economic centre. Encompassing 22 districts across four states, it has emerged as the largest single contributor to India’s GDP, accounting for 8% of the nation's economic output. This economic allure serves as a primary incentive for people to migrate to the city and adjoining areas, resulting in a population density that surpasses the infrastructure’s capacity and contributes to its environmental challenges.

Delhi has consistently – and famously – earned the distinction of being one of the world's most polluted cities, with vehicular emissions accounting for roughly 40% air pollution. The creation of an efficient and sustainable public-transport system presents a compelling solution to both traffic congestion and pollution.

To start with, Delhi has demonstrated its commitment to addressing intra-city travel with the highly efficient Delhi Metro, which stands as a benchmark not only in India but globally as well. Nevertheless, as time has progressed, so has urbanisation, and the locus of growth has gravitated towards the peripheries, particularly in the form of Gurugram and Noida, both of which boast the highest per-capita income within their respective states. There are other burgeoning commercial hubs such as Faridabad and Sonipat.

This trend of spatial economic expansion is expected to continue. A comprehensive mobility plan for the whole of NCR will be essential to ensure orderly, sustainable, and controlled development. To this end, valuable insights can be gleaned from numerous global urban agglomerations – such as Paris, the Yangtze Delta region, London, and Tokyo – on how to reduce travel time, develop a large economic units, foster seamless intermodal connectivity, and move towards mobility as a service, all in ways that work for the planet.

For instance Ile-de-France, the second-largest urban agglomeration of Europe with Paris as the core city, is a compelling model for addressing congestion issues in the NCR. The region has an integrated transportation system encompassing the Paris Metro, Paris Réseau Express Régional (RER), and an extensive bus network. It ferries 41 million people a day thanks to a large amount of inter-town travel.

The Paris Metro offers short-distance travel within the city, while the 500-plus-kilometre Paris RER (whose development started well ahead of the metro in 1977) extends its reach into the suburbs, fostering connectivity for local residents and those in neighbouring regions. Notably, over a third of Ile-de-France's population (about 38 lakh) holds transit passes, with public transit use growing by 15% over the past decade. This has progressively diminished the share of car owners and alleviated road congestion

Studies have shown that such infrastructure investment can deliver economic benefits as well. Municipalities with RER stations have a 10% higher chance of developing employment subcenters, thereby increasing the demand for land. Additionally, Paris has excelled in serving citizens through the RATP mobile application, which allows them to plan and pay for journeys, and provides information, maps, accessibility features, and seamless payments to residents and visitors alike.

Similarly, China's intercity rail system fosters one- to two-hour connections between major cities and adjacent areas. In the Yangtze River Delta, 16 high-speed rail lines unite cities such as Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou and Hefei, creating an integrated economic zone. The rail network increases accessibility by more than 1.5 times, shifting from a single-centre to a polycentric development model that encourages suburban growth (18 of 24 Beijing-Shanghai line stations are in the suburbs) thus reducing construction and land acquisition costs.

The network prioritises intermodal connectivity, as illustrated by the 2021 Shanghai City Travel Code. This mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) platform lets users book and pay for public transit, ride-hailing, and bike-sharing through a single app. It integrates four public transport modes, two ride-hailing services, and three bike-sharing services.

While the benefits of having an intercity rail network are evident, untimely action could be costly. Take the example of the Crossrail in London. The $20 billion project took around 20 years to complete, with multiple cost and time overruns, and ended up increasing the rail-carrying capacity by 10%. Given that the regional rail was to be built underground (26 miles with 10 new stations connecting to the existing underground stations) in a densely-populated area, the project complexity increased manifold. While the project no doubt eased congestion (by providing direct connectivity from the suburbs to central London), it has proven to be one of the most complex and expensive projects in the sector.

In summary, growth centres like the NCR must expand their focus beyond intra-city transport systems and encompass neighbouring cities with which it has a symbiotic relationship. Currently, the Delhi Metro shoulders the significant responsibility of providing sustainable and reliable public transport within Delhi. With the advent of the National Capital Region Transport Corporation's (NCRTC) Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS), connecting nearby towns such as Meerut and Alwar to the capital, the future looks promising.

The operationalisation of the first RRTS corridor from Delhi to Meerut, spanning more than 80 kilometers, marks the first step towards realizing a larger vision. This corridor represents the start of an ambitious plan encompassing eight regional rail corridors within the NCR, covering an area of 55,000 square kilometres.

Furthermore, embracing and actively pursuing MaaS is imperative to encouraging widespread adoption of public transport. The implementation of a unified ticketing system would not not only bridge geographical divides but also streamline payments, significantly enhancing the convenience of public transport. MaaS, through the integration of diverse transit modes and the simplification of the passenger experience, represents a vital stride toward establishing a sustainable, efficient, and interconnected transportation ecosystem.

Yashi Tandon is lead knowledge analyst, team lead, BCG; Nitima Malhotra is principal, BCG; and Rajat Modwel is managing director and partner, BCG. Views are personal.