Hyderabad's Last-Mile Connectivity Crisis: Metro Expansion Fails Commuters
Even as the Telangana state government aggressively pushes for rapid expansion of the Hyderabad Metro network and the Central government invests heavily in the comprehensive redevelopment of Secunderabad railway station, the persistent and glaring issue of poor last-mile connectivity continues to severely test the patience of daily commuters across the entire city.
Broken Integration Between Transport Systems
The critical lack of effective integration between Hyderabad's three primary public transport systems—the RTC buses, the MMTS suburban rail network, and the Hyderabad Metro—has fundamentally undermined the city's ability to offer a seamless, efficient public transport experience. Consequently, to complete the short but absolutely crucial final portions of their daily journeys, lakhs of commuters are becoming increasingly dependent on app-based cabs, auto-rickshaws, and bike taxis.
The fundamental problem with depending on these app-based services is that they are widely reported as erratic, unpredictable, and often exorbitantly overpriced, according to numerous commuter accounts. Multiple independent studies have consistently flagged last-mile connectivity as one of Hyderabad's most significant mobility bottlenecks. These studies clearly point out that even when primary transit systems like the Metro or MMTS operate efficiently, the absence of reliable, affordable last-mile options actively discourages commuters from shifting away from private vehicles to public transport.
Daily Struggle for Hyderabad's Commuters
For daily office-goers, the last mile has transformed into a routine and exhausting struggle. Long, unshaded walks, unreliable shared auto services, and expensive app-based cab rides remain the only available options for covering these short distances. The severe shortage of dedicated feeder buses from Metro stations, MMTS stations, and other major transit hubs has turned the final leg of the commute into a daily ordeal, particularly during punishing peak hours and late evenings.
Passengers alighting at Begumpet railway station, for instance, are routinely forced to rely on autos or cabs to reach their final destinations. Those attempting to opt for buses must walk nearly two kilometers, often with luggage, to reach the nearest bus stop. A strikingly similar situation prevails at the Hi-TEC City railway station, where a large population of IT professionals either endure long walks or depend entirely on autos, cabs, or bike taxis to reach their workplaces.
"I stay in Banjara Hills Road No. 7 and work in Secunderabad. If I attempt to use public transport, I must walk for almost two kilometers just to reach a bus stop. Begumpet is the closest Metro station for me, and getting there itself is a hectic process. Because of this complete lack of last-mile connectivity, I strongly prefer using my personal vehicle," explained Satyanand Rao, an employee of a private bank.
"Every day I get down at Madhapur station, but my office is hardly three kilometers away. There are absolutely no feeder buses, and shared autos frequently refuse short trips during peak hours. I end up paying Rs 100–120 on app-based rides just for the last mile," said K Vani, an IT professional from Ameerpet.
Safety Risks and Growing Congestion
Experts in sustainable mobility emphasize that the core problem stems from fundamentally inadequate integration within the city's mass transit systems. Despite repeated public calls for dedicated feeder services, on-ground implementation has been painfully slow. They warn that continuing to ignore last-mile connectivity could critically undermine the massive financial investments already made in expanding metro rail networks.
"In Hyderabad, dangerous congestion is building up exactly where roads are already unsafe—around metro stations and bus stops. Last-mile access should be treated as a critical safety solution rather than merely a convenience," stated Nina Subramani, senior researcher for road safety and sustainable mobility at the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG).
She added that simple, low-cost measures such as enforcing slower vehicle speeds near transit hubs, constructing continuous shaded footpaths, installing safe pedestrian crossings, organizing formal feeder services, and clearly marking pick-up and drop-off zones could significantly reduce chaos and conflict.
Planned Initiatives and Coordination Efforts
On the other hand, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) has historically maintained that operating mini-buses is not financially viable for city operations. "However, to address last-mile connectivity issues, the corporation is now planning to introduce nine-metre buses, which are smaller than the existing 12-metre fleet. Most of these new buses will be deployed around the IT corridor by the end of this year specifically to improve last-mile connectivity," said Y Nagi Reddy, Managing Director of TGSRTC.
Meanwhile, the South Central Railway (SCR) is actively working with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and TGSRTC to provide dedicated RTC bus services for inward and outward train passengers at key stations like Secunderabad, Lingampally, and Cherlapally, particularly during peak morning and night hours.
"We have formally requested TGSRTC to operate dedicated last-mile services from areas such as ECIL X Roads, Miyapur, Medchal, and LB Nagar to connect passengers with Vande Bharat and other intercity trains at Secunderabad, Kacheguda, Lingampally, and Cherlapally stations," revealed a senior SCR official.
Officials also confirmed that a skywalk is currently under construction at Secunderabad station to directly connect both the Secunderabad east and west metro stations. Additionally, a proposal is under active consideration to connect Begumpet railway station directly with the adjacent metro station through another skywalk, aiming to facilitate seamless passenger movement.
Carpooling Yet to Gain Traction in Hyderabad
Despite being one of the fastest-growing major cities in the country, Hyderabad has notably failed to embrace carpooling as a viable transport option. While states like Delhi and Maharashtra are progressively moving towards formalizing and actively promoting carpooling initiatives, Hyderabad remains heavily dependent on personal vehicles and app-based ride aggregators.
The city, which boasts over 10 lakh IT and ITeS employees, has witnessed a sharp and sustained rise in private vehicle usage. Between 2017 and 2025, the number of registered cars in Hyderabad increased by nearly eight lakh. Currently, the city has around 18 lakh registered cars, a figure that surpasses 20 lakh when vehicles from outside Telangana are included. Alarmingly, most of these cars carry just one or two occupants, drastically adding to urban congestion.
"No one is seriously following the carpooling concept in Hyderabad. While it is gaining popularity in cities like Bengaluru and Noida, it is yet to be accepted here. The government needs to make a serious, concerted effort to promote it," asserted Vinod Kanumala of the Indian Federation of Road Safety.
Urgent Need for Comprehensive Policy Push
Urban mobility experts argue forcefully that Hyderabad's worsening congestion problem cannot be effectively addressed unless common carrier modes such as public transport and organized carpooling are treated as core transport strategies rather than optional afterthoughts.
"For carpooling to succeed, the city urgently needs employer-led programmes in major office clusters, policy-backed incentives for high-occupancy vehicles, and safe, clearly marked pick-up and drop-off zones around Metro stations and workplaces. There is also a critical need for an effective policy and digital framework that integrates carpooling with speed management, safer street design, and better road space allocation to reduce crash risks while simultaneously improving overall traffic flow," explained Bhargab Maitra, Professor of Civil Engineering at IIT Kharagpur and a member of the Road Safety Network.
