To predict urban mobility outlook for Bengaluru in 2026, one must know the prevailing baseline. Sadly, it isn’t good. 2025 will go down as ‘Annus Horribilis’ for urban mobility. BBMP and, later on, B-SMILE spent most of 2025 in an ill-advised pursuit of car-centric tunnel roads and a patchwork elevated roads relying on perverse cut-paste studies. Will 2026 see a respite? It has to, for Bengaluru’s sake. If not, future generations will not look on us kindly.
Citizens must find the inspiration to strongly call out and stop the government’s tunnel-visioned unscientific plans. Sustainable solutions are already known, but the will to implement isn’t there. Solutions don’t necessarily mean capital intensive projects. Simple operational optimisation measures alleviates much of the traffic problem. What should Bengaluru do in 2026?
Adopt agile tactical planning and implementation
Traffic jams are amalgamation of accumulated road inefficiencies. Reducing turbulence (frequent braking), removing viscosity (capacity mismatches) and ensuring smooth weaving (lane changes), will remove wave propagation (traffic jams). Common sense measures like relocating bottleneck bus-stops, storage lanes for turning traffic, synchronised signals and enabling dynamic lane reversals reduces traffic congestion at many choke points.
Bus, metro, suburban rail, walk and cycle are foundational mobility elements
Public transport works best when it is integrated end-to-end. Fragmented public transport plans emerging from silo thinking of BMTC, BMRCL, and K-RIDE needs integration. Bengaluru doesn’t require the fancy skydeck, it requires functional skywalks for accessing destinations and not just to cross streets. Bengaluru’s salubrious weather allows us to reimagine commuting. For example, a skywalk garden that connects Lalbagh and Cubbon Park will inspire a very different commute culture.
Comprehensive Mobility Plan is mobility master plan
Bengaluru’s CMP is due for an update. A fully consulted and funded CMP that supports the expeditious implementation of metro and suburban rail network along with bus fleet augmentation is the need. A plan that provides goals, sets priorities and timelines to implementing agencies prevents arbitrary wasteful investments.
Digital ride-hailing shouldn’t be a wasted opportunity
Digital ride hailing in Bengaluru operates in a regulatory void. Fare negotiations for autos and taxis have merely shifted from street bargaining to opaque digital algorithms. All good cities have pragmatic regulatory frameworks and so should Bengaluru. Government must engage in meaningful conversations with all stakeholders to restore compliance to regulations and make digital ride hailing reliable and professional.
Empowered BMLTA
Establishing a world-class professional BMLTA should be the city’s top priority. The government should commit adequate seed funding to professionally build the BMLTA organisation with fresh thinking and modern recruitment practices. Government should avoid the trap of building the organisation with seconded employees from other organisations and retired bureaucrats. The city must be vigilant to ensure BMLTA doesn’t end up as yet another dysfunctional bureaucratic organisation.
Future proofing public transportation
Bengaluru is already blessed with good plans. Just take a look at the existing, planned and potential metro and suburban rail network. It is so extensive that when built citizens will use public transport by choice! Bengaluru can get there by 2035 but the precondition is it must return to the mobility basics in 2026. Citizens should help the government come out of its tunnel vision and make 2026 “Annus Mirabilis”, a remarkable year for sustainable urban mobility planning. All it requires is unrelenting public transport and active mobility focus. And, of course, truly holding implementing agencies to account.