A Human-Centered Dialogue for Urban Mobility in India

Freedom of Mobility Forum (FOMF): How is India addressing its pressing urban mobility challenges, and what role does ITDP play in overcoming them?

Aswathy: India faces complex urban mobility challenges, including a focus on high-profile infrastructure over basic transport needs, frequent changes of officials disrupting project continuity, and unequal resource distribution across cities. Most people in India walk, cycle, or use buses, yet their needs – such as footpaths and affordable public transport – are often overlooked. ITDP advocates for the needs of this “silent majority” to ensure their priorities are reflected in policy and planning. It promotes a “people-first” approach, advocating for inclusive solutions like safe buses, footpaths, and cycle tracks, instead of focusing on “shiny” and high-budget infrastructure projects, such as metro systems and flyovers, often seen as symbols of progress. It also helps build institutional frameworks to ensure long-term sustainability and amplifies the voices of the majority – pedestrians, cyclists, and bus users – whose needs are often overlooked in favor of private vehicle owners.

Another significant challenge is the frequent change of senior officials, which can disrupt the continuity of projects. The organization also recognizes that mobility strategies must be adapted to local realities, as Indian cities vary greatly in size, budget, and institutional capacity. Similarly, smaller cities often lack dedicated staff for mobility planning, with officials juggling multiple roles. 

FOMF: How does your methodology of persuasion and action work? How does your approach differ from traditional top-down planning methods? 

Aswathy: We believe urban transformation isn’t about prescribing solutions – it’s about persuasion, collaboration, and building trust. At ITDP, we follow a ‘test, learn, scale’ approach, encouraging cities to start with small pilots like open-street weekends or redesigned junctions. These help people experience the benefits firsthand and build momentum for lasting change.

Our success comes from working across sectors with municipalities, traffic police, NGOs, and academic institutions. This multi-stakeholder model accelerates implementation and ensures resilience. Citizen feedback is central to our process; we gather it before and after interventions to guide design and measure impact. Through campaigns, workshops, and events like cycle rallies, we keep the dialogue open and foster public ownership. For me, real transformation happens when everyone is part of the journey.

FOMF: Can you give us an example of how societies can bring together innovation and sustainable urban planning and explain how OEMs can contribute to this alignment? 

Aswathy: At ITDP we advocate for a new approach to parking, viewing it as a tool for resource management rather than car accommodation. Since street space is a scarce resource, it should be used as efficiently as possible for the benefit of all road users. The goal is to create neighborhood-level parking plans to prevent fragmented, chaotic, and street-by-street approaches. This holistic strategy ensures that parking fits into a balanced mobility system without displacing pedestrians or public transit.

This vision prioritizes people over parking. Given that 60% of trips in India begin and end on foot, footpaths and bus lanes should take precedence, with parking considered only if space remains. The revenue from parking fees can then be reinvested into improving public transport and pedestrian infrastructure, reinforcing the goals of inclusive mobility. This is not about accommodating more vehicles but about balancing the diverse needs of all road users.

Holistic urban planning is essential to integrate human values like safety, comfort, and social connection. Currently, responsibilities for urban development are too often fragmented across different government departments, creating a siloed approach that hinders the creation of coherent, people-centered systems. We believe unified planning and implementation with shared goals and joint accountability across departments ensures every decision – from infrastructure to policy – is guided by human-centered values.

Partnerships with OEMs and mobility providers are a win-win for creating inclusive and sustainable urban solutions. For example, automakers can leverage valuable data on footfall and travel patterns, helping cities identify where interventions are most needed and optimize infrastructure planning. By designing for shared ecosystems, OEMs can offer insights into vehicle usage, which helps inform better street design, such as creating priority lanes or safe docking zones. Through these partnerships, cities can conduct pro bono pilots to test new solutions before integrating successful models into planning tools like the Complete Streets Toolkit. This approach fosters a collaborative ecosystem where data, technology, and shared goals drive progress toward more livable and equitable urban spaces.