Vehicles move bumper-to-bumper on the Paradise flyover in Hyderabad.
| Photo Credit: RAMAKRISHNA G
Hyderabad’s traffic congestion is no longer merely an infrastructure problem but a direct consequence of shrinking public transport, rising dependence on private vehicles and poor urban planning, mobility experts said during a town hall on the city’s transport future held on Thursday (May 21, 2026).Barely 30% public and non-motorised transportThe discussion was dominated by statistics: nearly 60-70% of trips in Hyderabad are currently made using private vehicles. Public transport and non-motorised transport together account for barely 30%.60-65% public transport needed“No city can manage traffic if 100% people travel by private transport. It is impossible, even with world-class infrastructure,” said Loksatta Founder Jayaprakash Narayan. “Hyderabad must move towards a 60-65% public transport share to avoid long-term mobility collapse. The first principle is improving the quality of public transport, making it reliable, predictable, safe and comfortable,” he said.The townhall highlighted how Hyderabad’s urban growth has far outpaced its mobility systems.
Advisor to Telangana Government on Urban Transport N.V.S. Reddy, Former IAS Janardhan Reddy , Loksatta Founder Jayaprakash Narayan, SCSC CEO Naved Khan and WRI India Fellow Srinivas Alavilli during the townhall
