News: Last-Mile Links Will Decide NCR’s Next Growth Phase-27-06-2026
The National Capital Region’s (NCR) next stage of expansion will rest on seamless transport connectivity as much as on new housing and infrastructure, speakers said at a panel on "connectivity corridors" at the India Next Real Estate Summit.
The panel comprised Sanjeev Kumar Lohia, Former MD & CEO, DMRC and Former Joint Secretary (Urban Transport), Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA); Abhay Mishra, President and CEO, Jindal Realty; Bhaumik Gowande, Transport Researcher, International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) India; and Sail Kumar, Director, CRC Group.
A common thread was that extending metro networks will not be enough. The focus, they said, must move to last-mile connectivity, integrated transport planning and urban centres where people can get around without relying heavily on private vehicles.
Gowande said India’s urban development needs an integrated approach, noting that many residential complexes are still built without adequate public transport access. A single authority overseeing planning and implementation would allow better coordination, he said. Tokyo has a dense rail network, and the NCR, nearly three times Tokyo’s size, needs even stronger planning. The Regional Rapid Transit System (RRTS) could significantly cut travel time across the region, he added.
Sanjeev Kumar said planning should start with commuters’ travel patterns and not simply with building infrastructure. Citing Gurugram, he noted that many commuters still take nearly an hour to reach the nearest metro station.
Sail Kumar made a similar point about first and last-mile links and said connectivity should be planned alongside urban development, not as an afterthought. Transport corridors are fundamental to building a much larger economy, he said. He described Delhi’s transformation as a "paradigm shift" and said the Ganga Expressway and other emerging corridors will improve regional connectivity further.
Mishra said cities cannot keep growing through disconnected residential developments and need infrastructure that supports both mobility and economic growth.
