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Priyanshi Vaidya resides in the Vijay Nagar area of Indore. She is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies and needs to travel to Bhanwarkuan for coaching classes. When the BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) buses were operational, her commute would take around 30 minutes.
“Now, with the BRTS discontinued, the journey takes between one to one-and-a-half hours. This has also led to a rise in my monthly transport expenditure, increasing by approximately Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,500,” Vaidya told Down To Earth (DTE).
The inconvenience and time lost have only added to her troubles. However, Vaidya’s case is not unique. Dinesh Gaur, another Indore resident, is similarly troubled by the city’s traffic. He rides a motorbike to his factory.
Out of his monthly salary of Rs 20,000, about Rs 3,000 goes solely towards petrol. With no viable public transport option, his bike remains his only means of commuting.
There has been a dramatic increase in the number of vehicles over the past decade. Data shows that as of 2008, Indore had about 900,000 registered vehicles. By 2020, this number had surged to 2.4 million, including both transport and non-transport vehicles, with a significant proportion being private cars. On March 31, 2019, there were 1.8 million registered vehicles in the city.
According to the Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP), two-wheelers account for the largest share of road traffic at 39 per cent. Only 19 per cent of residents use public transport, while 15 per cent commute on foot.
Historically, Indore had a population of under 100,000 in the early 20th century. Formerly known as ‘Indur’, derived from ‘Indrapur’ or ‘Indreshwar’, the city grew rapidly thanks to its location on the Agra-Mumbai highway.
Over time, it evolved into what is now fondly called the ‘Mini Mumbai’ of Madhya Pradesh.
The city currently spans 3,898 square kilometres and has a population of around 2.4 million. From 1940 to 2018, Indore expanded more than fivefold. Between 1975 and 1990 alone, it grew approximately 2.5 times.
Today, it ranks 14th among Indian cities with populations exceeding one million.
In recent years, Indore has gained national recognition for cleanliness, topping the Swachh Survekshan rankings for several consecutive years. However, its air quality tells a different story.
Despite its reputation, Indore is now among cities where significant efforts are required to combat air pollution, due to persistently high AQI levels.
Social activist Kishore Kodwani, who filed the petition to halt BRTS construction, claims that the city’s development is an example of destructive planning.
He questioned as to why traffic congestion is worsening despite 25 per cent of the Master Plan being allocated for residential zones.
“Indore has 750,000 homes and 350,000 cars. Where are we to park and drive all of them?” he asked. Kodwani believes the administration lacks both robust data and a comprehensive development strategy.
Senior social activist Chinmay Mishra pointed out that no comprehensive traffic plan has been seen in the past decade. The city’s outward expansion has created severe traffic issues, exacerbated by the lack of an efficient public transport network. “New Indore,” including its malls, schools and event venues, is concentrated along bypass roads. However, the tunnels and flyovers built there are too narrow, resulting in chronic congestion.
Mishra also laments the disappearance of the once-iconic tongas (horse-drawn carts), calling them a part of the city’s cultural heritage that could have been preserved for tourism. “Unfortunately, no one thought that way,” he says. For those who rely on public transport, there are limited options beyond three-wheelers.
Although the BRTS was initially hailed as a successful urban mobility project, it is now being dismantled following a High Court order. Built at a cost of Rs 350 crore under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), the BRTS corridor ran through central Indore, serving institutions, hospitals and corporate offices. Around 60,000 commuters used the 50 I-Buses daily, including students and working professionals.
Yet, the BRTS faced opposition from the beginning. Kodwani, who filed the original petition, argued that it was based on foreign models where vehicles drive on the right side—unsuitable for India’s left-hand traffic. Some residents believe that removing the BRTS will ease congestion, as it has become a bottleneck. Kodwani counters this by saying the 12 proposed flyovers will largely benefit car users, not the general public.
A metro system is now being promoted as an alternative.
After long delays, the metro is scheduled to begin operations on May 31. However, there is skepticism about whether it will succeed. Mishra cites a Delhi-based study indicating that metro travel is only affordable for individuals earning over Rs 36,000 per month.
“With a base fare of Rs 30, the metro risks becoming an elitist service,” he told DTE. Inadequate parking at metro stations further diminishes its utility for daily commuters.
Abhishek Joshi, a resident of Rajendra Nagar, used to enjoy riding his motorbike but now prefers a car due to safety concerns. “The roads are not safe and the risk of accidents is high. Despite new flyovers and bypasses, traffic conditions have worsened,” he says. Even with adherence to traffic rules, long queues at green signals mean vehicles inch forward painfully slowly. “Crossing just two or three intersections takes ages. This repeated stop-start driving has cut our vehicle mileage by as much as 40 per cent,” he added.
1956: Indore was incorporated into Madhya Pradesh. The Indore Municipal Corporation was established.
1962: The first Outline Development Plan was created, and MP SRTC (Madhya Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation) was formed.
1972: Bicycles and tempos became the most popular modes of transport in the city.
1974: Work began on Indore’s first Master Plan (1974-1991).
1991: Tongas (horse-drawn carriages) significantly declined in the city. The Eastern Ring Road was constructed. Mini-buses and auto-rickshaws increased in number.
1995: Private bus operators entered the city’s transport sector.
2004: Maruti Vans and Tata Magic vehicles replaced mini-buses.
2005: Formation of JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) and AICTSL (Atal Indore City Transport Services Ltd.).
2006: BRTS (Bus Rapid Transit System) was approved by the central government. Indore’s second Development Plan for 2021 was introduced. City bus service was launched.
2007: Construction of the BRTS began.
2010: The National Green Tribunal was established under the National Green Tribunal Act.
2013: A petition was filed against the BRTS. Metro planning efforts began. BRTS operations commenced.
2015: The High Court ruled in favor of BRTS. Indore was included in the Smart City scheme.
2016: Indore was listed among the top 20 smart cities in the country. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for Indore Metro was prepared. Social activist Kishore Kodwani filed a petition to remove BRTS.
2017: Introduction of electric buses.
2024: Launch of the Integrated Traffic Management System in Indore.
2025: Efforts to deploy e-buses in Indore. Dismantling of the BRTS began. Metro preparations completed; operations to begin from May 31.
Indore has seen a steady rise in road accidents. In 2022, the city accounted for six per cent of all road accidents in Madhya Pradesh. Fatalities have also increased.
Public transport needs to be strengthened urgently. A study by the Environment Planning and Coordination Organisation (EPCO) found that buses currently serve only 19 per cent of transport demand. Indore has just 0.95 buses per 1,000 residents, far below required levels. By 2025, the city is expected to see 5.5 million daily journeys, half of which should ideally be covered by public transport. Both availability and safety must be addressed.
On April 9, this year, Indore’s PM2.5 level spiked to 29.
In 2024 so far, air quality has been rated ‘good’ on only nine days, ‘satisfactory’ on 126 days, ‘poor’ on 45 days, ‘very poor’ on four days, and ‘severely polluted’ on November 1, when the reading reached 406.
According to the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board’s 2023 dashboard, Indore consistently recorded poor PM10 levels throughout the year, averaging 110 — almost twice the acceptable annual standard of 60. In 2022, the average was even higher at 121.
These figures raise serious questions about the credibility of Indore’s ‘cleanest city’ status.
Vehicle emissions are a major contributor. Between 2015 and 2020, 55 per cent of vehicles registered in Indore ran on petrol, 40 per cent on diesel, only four per cent on CNG, and just one per cent were electric. Among these, electric cars and buses were the least represented.
To tackle this, the government has proposed retiring vehicles older than 15 years, converting all buses to CNG, and mandating CNG use for autos and taxis. Tree plantation drives are also being promoted as part of the solution.
This article is part of our series on how India moves, which looks at the relationship between air quality and human mobility in cities and towns.