4 days ago
India’s Nine Most Congested Cities Ranked By Traffic
Traffic jams make it take much longer to travel around many Indian cities.
The TomTom Traffic Index 2026 lists Bengaluru as the most congested city in India.
Pune is second and had the biggest increase among the cities listed.
Mumbai improved compared with 2024, while New Delhi became more congested.
People in these cities lose many hours each year sitting in rush-hour traffic.
During busy times, cars travel much shorter distances in 15 minutes than they do when roads are quieter.
Bengaluru drivers cover only about 3.5 kilometres in 15 minutes at peak time.
The list also includes Kolkata, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ernakulam.
Bengaluru ranked India’s most congested city, with congestion at 74.4% and 168 rush-hour hours lost annually.
Pune followed at 71.1%, recording the largest increase among the listed cities, up 5.4 percentage points from 2024.
Mumbai’s congestion fell to 63.2%, while New Delhi’s rose to 60.2% compared with 2024.
Kolkata, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ernakulam recorded congestion levels between 54.5% and 58.9%.
In Bengaluru, covering 10 km takes 36.09 minutes, compared with 20.39 minutes in London and 20.14 minutes in New York.
- Who
- Commuters and motorists in nine Indian cities.
- What
- The TomTom Traffic Index 2026 ranking of India’s most congested cities.
- Where
- Bengaluru, Pune, Mumbai, New Delhi, Kolkata, Jaipur, Chennai, Hyderabad and Ernakulam, India.
- When
- The latest figures are identified as 2026, with changes compared mainly with 2024.
- Why
- To measure congestion levels, rush-hour time lost and differences in travel distance during peak and optimal traffic conditions.
Key facts
- Most congested city
- Bengaluru, with a 74.4% congestion level.
- Second-ranked city
- Pune, with a 71.1% congestion level.
- Largest increase
- Pune rose by 5.4 percentage points from 2024.
- Largest decline listed
- Mumbai fell by 3.3 percentage points from 2024.
- Annual rush-hour loss in Bengaluru
- 168 hours per commuter.
- Bengaluru 10-km travel time
- 36.09 minutes, compared with 20.39 minutes in London and 20.14 minutes in New York.
- Lowest congestion among the nine
- Ernakulam, at 54.5%.
Sources
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