Once Cycle-Friendly Pune Sees Cycling Share Plunge From 45% to 3% in Four Decades

Pune, 9th November 2026: Once known as a city of cyclists, Pune has witnessed a dramatic decline in bicycle use, with its share of daily trips plummeting from 45% in the 1980s to just 3% in 2025-26. Two-wheelers have emerged as the dominant mode of transport, accounting for 37% of daily trips, highlighting the city’s growing dependence on motorised vehicles and the deteriorating safety of cyclists.

A study of bicycle and motor vehicle usage in the city, conducted by additional commissioner of police Manoj Patil and his team, has highlighted the significant shift in commuting patterns over the past four decades.

In the 1980s, nearly 80% of Pune’s daily trips were made either by bicycle or on foot, with cycling accounting for 45% and walking 35%. By 1995, cycling’s share had declined to 37.2%, while walking accounted for 32.3%. The decline continued, with cycling accounting for just 11% of trips in the 2008 Comprehensive Mobility Plan (CMP) survey. The latest figures for 2025-26 put the share at a mere 3%.

Patil attributed the decline to the city’s geographical expansion, longer commuting distances and increasing traffic. As residential areas spread towards the outskirts, commuters increasingly shifted to two-wheelers to save time. The growing number of vehicles also made cycling increasingly unsafe, he said.

“Very few people now cycle to work, unlike in the 1980s and 1990s. As the city expanded and residential areas spread farther from the core, commuters increasingly shifted to two-wheelers for faster travel. Moreover, cycling became unsafe because of factors such as rash and negligent driving by motorists. Only a few roads offer safe cycling infrastructure,” Patil said.

The shift is also reflected in the rising share of two-wheelers, which increased from around 10% in the 1980s to 38% in 2008. It stood at 37% in 2025-26. Car usage, meanwhile, rose from less than 1% in the 1980s to 10.25% in 2025-26.

Walking, too, has lost ground, with its share declining from 35% in the 1980s to 23.5% in 2025-26. Public transport usage has also remained relatively stagnant, accounting for 11% of daily trips in 2025-26, compared with 8% in the 1980s.