NSO officials unveiled the first National Household Travel Survey, covering 1.2 million households across a full year from July 2025 to June 2026. The study shows urban workers spend Rs 1,044 monthly on commute, compared with Rs 612 in rural areas—a 70% premium that strains city‑dwelling budgets.
Male workers report higher monthly outlays, averaging Rs 835 versus Rs 533 for women. The gender gap mirrors the 57.6% of workers traveling over one kilometre, a figure that rises to 61.9% for men and 41.9% for women.
Two‑wheelers dominate the commute: 52.3% of urban journeys and 37.1% of rural ones. Public rail—metro, suburban, trams—accounts for only 5% of urban trips, though in Maharashtra it reaches 20.7%, West Bengal 16.5% and Delhi 14.4%.
Average journey time is 27 minutes in cities and 23 minutes in villages, yet 79.3% of urban and 86.1% of rural workers arrive within 30 minutes. The remaining 13.7% of city commuters spill into the 30–60‑minute window.
Parliamentary committees are slated to review the data next month, with proposals to subsidise public transport and expand metro corridors. Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari hinted that the survey will underpin a new “smart‑mobility” bill slated for debate in September.
For Ravi, a 32‑year‑old software engineer in Bengaluru, the Rs 1,044 monthly expense means cutting back on leisure. He told reporters, “I used to go to the gym after work, but now I save that money for my daughter’s school fees.”