The Shared Mobility Boom
India's cities are in the midst of a transport revolution. A recent survey from July 2026 highlighted this shift, revealing that young, working professionals are increasingly opting for shared mobility over personal vehicles. More than 76% of respondents
expect their use of services like ride-hailing apps, premium buses, and bike rentals to increase in the coming years. This isn't just about saving money anymore; it's a lifestyle choice driven by convenience, technology, and a desire to avoid the stress of driving. The Indian shared mobility market, valued at over $109 billion in 2025, is projected to grow significantly, fueled by rising urbanisation and smartphone penetration. This surge in shared transport usage, however, shines a harsh light on a long-standing infrastructural weakness.
The Stubborn Last-Mile Gap
Last-mile connectivity refers to the crucial, and often frustrating, final leg of a journey—from a major transport hub like a metro station or bus stop to one's ultimate destination, be it home or office. While India has made massive investments in expanding its metro networks, which now cover over 1,000 km across 26 cities, the problem of how people get to and from these stations has been largely treated as an afterthought. Studies have shown that poor last-mile links are a major reason why metro systems in cities like Delhi have failed to meet their projected ridership numbers. Commuters often find themselves spending more time and money on this final segment—relying on informal auto-rickshaws or facing unsafe pedestrian paths—than on the main part of their journey.
Where Growth Meets Gridlock
The very success of shared mobility is exposing the inadequacy of last-mile infrastructure. While app-based services offer a convenient solution for many, they cannot solve the problem alone and can contribute to congestion around transport hubs. The core issue is a lack of integration. A journey from Point A to B is often fragmented into separate, uncoordinated parts: booking a cab, taking a metro, and then hunting for an auto-rickshaw. This disconnect undermines the efficiency of the entire public transport system. For a public transport network to be truly effective, it must be seamless. This requires not just world-class trains and buses, but also safe, reliable, and affordable ways for everyone to complete their journey.
Forging the Final Link
Thankfully, this challenge is now receiving focused attention. The solution lies in a multi-pronged approach that combines policy, technology, and infrastructure. The government's PM-eBus Sewa scheme, for instance, aims to deploy 10,000 electric buses, with a focus on improving first- and last-mile connectivity. Electric vehicles, especially two and three-wheelers, are emerging as a cost-effective and environmentally friendly solution for last-mile services. Cities like Mumbai are already implementing innovative programs, creating public-private partnerships to improve accessibility around metro stations. Technology plays a vital role through integrated apps that allow for single-payment, multi-modal journey planning, combining metro, bus, and feeder services seamlessly.
