Over the period of last 8 years, national capital has seen a noticeable drop in the number of vehicles per 1,000 people, alongside fewer road accidents. On the other side, as per the Delhi State Framework Indicator Report on Sustainable Development Goals from the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, the trends have been a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the public transport.
Delhi’s Striking Shift Toward Safer Streets
As per the report, the number of vehicles per 1,000 people plummeted from 530 in 2015–16 to 370 in 2022–23, before again inching up a little to 373 in 2023–24.
In tandem, the road accidents too, have dropped from 8,085 in 2015 to 4,720 in 2021. However, again in 2022, the number of accidents went back up again, reaching 5560.
As per the data from the National Crime Records Bureau, there has been a drop in fatalities and injuries—9,880 people were impacted by road accidents in 2015, but that number dropped to 5,228 in 2021. 2022 was again an exception to the rule, since the number climbed back to 6,174
Growth, Setbacks, and the Road Ahead for Delhi’s Public Transport
On the other hand, when we speak about the public transport, things look more mixed. The number of buses in the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster fleet increased from 5,842 in 2015–16 to 7,485 in 2023–24. Despite this increase, the average daily ridership actually decreased, from 4.59 million to 4.24 million over the same period. But when we have a look at Delhi Metro, the situation is quite the opposite, City’s Lifeline has seen a huge jump in passengers, growing from 2.62 million in 2015–16 to 5.78 million in 2023–24.
Access to public transport has also fluctuated. In 2015–16, 42.95% of Delhi’s population had access to these services, which dropped to 40.80% in 2022–23. However, by 2023–24, it rose again to 45.83%.
As per the report, the overall idea and goal is to make Delhi transport safe, affordable, and accessible by 2030, with renewed and sharper focus on improving road safety, expanding public transport, and ensuring that vulnerable groups like women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities are prioritized. While there’s been progress, the path to meeting these sustainable development goals still presents challenges.
