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Kolkata leads the Ease of Moving Index 2018 with the most affordable public transport: Ola Mobility Institute
- The ‘Ease of Moving Index’, a recent report by Ola’s think-tank, Ola Mobility Institute, benchmarks cities on services offered, infrastructure and sustainability of mobility options
- Findings reveal that 78% of the residents feel that mobility situation in Kolkata has improved over the last five years.
- The index offers insight into mobility preferences and aspirations of Indian commuters across 20 cities with a population of over 92 million
Kolkata, November 1, 2018: In an effort to lay the groundwork for building a sustainable mobility ecosystem, Ola Mobility Institute, the research and outreach arm of Ola, one of the world’s largest ride-hailing platforms, today released India’s first Ease of Moving Index, 2018. As part of report findings, Kolkata ranks the highest in terms of affordability of public transportation with 80% of commuters finding Kolkata’s public transport reasonable and affordable. The report seeks to offer a comprehensive action plan for cities to further strengthen their public transportation systems and improve the overall state of mobility.
The report was released by Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister, Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, in the presence of Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-founder and CEO of Ola, amongst other key dignitaries.
With mobility needs being city-specific, the report surveys over 43,000 respondents from 20 cities spanning across the length and breadth of the country. These cities were selected on five parameters – Scale, Character, Culture, Economy and Geography. Considering 50+ parameters that have been segmented into People, Infrastructure and Sustainability as the pillars of evaluation, the report assesses the accessibility, efficiency and safety of current transportation facilities. With sustainability being the need of the hour, the index offers a roadmap which will aid transit agencies and urban planners to make informed decisions and align solutions with the preferences of commuters.
Interesting insights about the mobility scenario in Kolkata, as per the findings from the report:
- Kolkata scored high in terms of infrastructure, cleanliness as well as diversity of mode choice
- It was found that 73% of commuters in Kolkata use public transport, which comprises buses, metro rail, ferries and tram, for their daily use
- With the second highest ownership and usage of bicycles, Kolkata is primed to augment its sustainability efforts
- It also scored well on the accessibility front, with 27% people availing public transport in less than 5 minutes of walk and 54% people within 5-15 minutes of walk
- While citizens of Kolkata spend the highest amount of time in transit, the city ranked the highest for affordability in India
Some other key findings from the report include:
- Overall, 80% of citizens agree that the transport ecosystem has improved over the last five years
- 60% of respondents report use public modes of commute
- 75% of respondents are of the opinion that electric vehicles could replace conventional vehicles by 2030
- Of the public transport users, 55% own smart cards
- Over 40% commuters transact digitally Intermediary Public Transport (IPT)
Speaking at the launch event, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister, Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation said, “The ease of moving index is a commendable effort to assess the state of mobility for cities. This report has important information that can help public stakeholders, city administrators and city planners in making smarter decisions to address pollution, congestion, and safety, and in building dynamic solutions to improve mobility for citizens at large.”
Bhavish Aggarwal, Co-founder & CEO, Ola said, “The revolution in mobility is just beginning and we believe the emergence of a mobility economy can be a catalyst for economic and social development for the nation. The ‘Ease of Moving Index’ helps us begin to assess the importance of Mobility for cities and citizens. The Ola Mobility Institute will work on projects to help mobility contribute to economic development, and we welcome collaboration to strengthen the ‘Ease of Moving Index’ as an annual benchmark for improved mobility.”
The rapid growth of shared mobility, the growth of new business models, the growing demand for moving goods, and increased national interest in electric vehicles hint that India is at the forefront of emerging trends in sustainable transportation.
You can download the full report here.
About Ola Mobility Institute
Ola Mobility Institute is Ola’s research and social innovation arm that focuses on leveraging the disruptive potential of mobility and innovation to drive economic growth. Launched in August 2018, the institute comprises a team of strategic thinkers, researchers, academics, and policy specialists. The institute will develop knowledge frameworks focused on five pillars: mobility as a service, the climate footprint of mobility innovations, skill development and job creation, transportation-oriented urban planning and the digitization of mobility.
