- By Ridam Sharma
- Wed, 27 Aug 2025 04:53 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Indian Cities With The Most Traffic: India has seen a significant growth in urbanisation across the nation in the past few years, which has resulted in a growing economy, thriving technology, and developing metropolitan cities. However, this rapid growth has also resulted in traffic jams. Recent world rankings have ranked some Indian cities among the worst for 10-km travel time, highlighting India's biggest challenge of traffic congestion faced by regular Indian commuters every day. To know more, here is a list of the top 10 Indian cities with the most traffic, according to the TomTom Traffic Index.
List Of Top 10 Indian Cities With The Most Traffic:
World Rank | City & State | Average Travel Time per 10 km |
---|---|---|
2 | Kolkata, West Bengal | 34 min 33 s |
3 | Bengaluru, Karnataka | 34 min 10 s |
4 | Pune, Maharashtra | 33 min 22 s |
18 | Hyderabad, Telangana | 31 min 30 s |
31 | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | 30 min 20 s |
39 | Mumbai, Maharashtra | 29 min 26 s |
43 | Ahmedabad, Gujarat | 29 min 3 s |
50 | Ernakulam, Kerala | 28 min 30 s |
52 | Jaipur, Rajasthan | 28 min 28 s |
122 | New Delhi | 23 min 24 s |
Source: TomTom Traffic Index.
Which Indian City Faces the Most Traffic?
1. Kolkata, West Bengal
Kolkata faces the most traffic in India and the second-most in the world, with an average speed of 34 minutes 33 seconds per 10 km. The reason for the high ranking of Kolkata goes to its narrow roads, high vehicle-to-road ratio, and densely packed commercial areas of the city, which make driving a nightmare here. However, strong public transportation and slow dispersion help to lessen the traffic.
2. Bengaluru, Karnataka
India's Silicon Valley is ranked third globally, with 34 minutes 10 seconds per 10 km. All due to high rates of migration that have surpassed infrastructure development. With technology parks focusing on particular locations, peak-hour jams are common, which also affect productivity and work-life balance in the city.
3. Pune, Maharashtra
Pune is also known for its rapidly growing IT and education sector, along with its long traffic congestion. The city ranks fourth in traffic worldwide. Commuters take approximately 33 minutes 22 seconds for each 10 km travelled. All because of old city roads and a lack of sufficient urban planning to accommodate its growing population.
4. Hyderabad, Telangana
Previously famous for comparatively smoother journeys than Bengaluru, Hyderabad is currently ranked 18th in the world in traffic congestion. A person in Hyderabad spends an average of 31 minutes and 30 seconds for every 10 km, mainly because of fast population growth. Recent private car trends have elevated the issue. However, metro development has given some relief, but traffic is still significant near business centres.
5. Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ranking 31 in the world, Chennai takes 30 minutes 20 seconds for every 10 km. Its climatic conditions, along with heavy port-based logistics traffic, have landed the city on this list. Additionally, huge sections of arterial roads witness long queues of traffic during office hours.
6. Mumbai, Maharashtra
Despite being India’s financial capital and its largest city, Mumbai is still in a better position on the list than other megacities like Kolkata or Bengaluru. Ranked 39th globally, and the average travel time in Mumbai is 29 minutes 26 seconds per 10 km. Overcrowded suburbs and heavy rainfall worsen the traffic here.
7. Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Ahmedabad ranks at 43rd position internationally when traffic is in context. The city is a mix of old city congestion and outgrowing urban areas, resulting in unpredictable traffic movement.
8. Ernakulam, Kerala
Eranakulam is a small city in Kerala, which ranks 50th on the world traffic scene. As an emerging commercial centre, its increasing car population has put pressure on the small road infrastructure.
9. Jaipur, Rajasthan
The Pink City is at 52nd place in the world with a travel time of 28 minutes and 28 seconds for every 10 km. The unplanned growth and rising car population are major challenges for traffic control authorities.
10. New Delhi
The national capital of India ranks at 122nd position globally in traffic congestion, which is way better than other megacities. The share of this low rank goes to Delhi Metro and broader roads. Here average travel time comes down to 23 minutes 24 seconds per 10 km, which highlights the key role of mass transport solutions.
Also Read: List Of Countries With Most Electric Cars: Know Where India Ranks
Traffic jams are not just a nuisance; it has become a significant problem in megacities in India. It affects overall productivity, air pollution, and the quality of life of the people. As per the traffic congestion Index, Indian cities lead the world's worst commutes. However, solutions like metro expansions, intelligent traffic management, and infrastructure improvements might bring the number down. What do you think, will Indian cities ever be able to surpass traffic, or is congestion the new reality of urbanisation?