There are 1.475 billion automobiles on this planet and over 8.1 billion folks—which means solely about 182 automobiles for each 1,000 folks. In different phrases, the overwhelming majority of individuals on this planet both can’t drive or don’t personal a automobile.
For individuals who depend on their ft, bicycles, or public transport to get round, walkability turns into greater than only a way of life selection —it’s a necessity.
A world examine performed by Evaluate the Market has analysed key elements resembling strolling trails, rainfall, security, bike infrastructure, and public transport to find out which cities world wide are best to navigate with out a automobile.
Mumbai, nevertheless, ranks among the many backside 10 — alongside Johannesburg, Manila, Bangkok, Cape City, and Chicago.
Why Mumbai is one among least walkable cities globally
Apparently, Mumbai scores extraordinarily nicely on the subject of affordability, providing one of many most cost-effective public transport methods on this planet at simply Rs 20 per ticket—solely behind Buenos Aires at Rs 13. Cairo comes third at Rs 28.
But Mumbai struggles with walkability as a result of elements resembling poor security scores, low entry to car-free zones, and really excessive common month-to-month rainfall, which deters pedestrian motion, particularly throughout monsoon.
Heavy encroachment and bottleneck areas like Powai-Vikhroli and Saki Naka within the suburbs trigger heavy congestion throughout peak hours. (Categorical picture by Sankhadeep Banerjee )
Munich tops the listing
On the different finish, Europe has essentially the most variety of walkable cities. Munich tops the listing, adopted by Milan, Warsaw, Helsinki, and Paris. Tokyo is the one non-European metropolis within the prime 10.
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| Prime 10 Most Walkable Cities | Prime 10 Least Walkable Cities |
|---|---|
| 1. Munich, Germany | 1. Johannesburg, South Africa |
| 2. Milan, Italy | 2. Patras, Greece |
| 3. Warsaw, Poland | 3. Dallas, Texas |
| 4. Helsinki, Finland | 4. Houston, Texas |
| 5. Paris, France | 5. Manila, Philippines |
| 6. Tokyo, Japan | 6. Bangkok, Thailand |
| 7. Madrid, Spain | 7. Mumbai, India |
| 8. Oslo, Norway | 8. Cape City, South Africa |
| 9. Copenhagen, Denmark | 9. Quito, Ecuador |
| 10. Amsterdam, Netherlands | 10. Chicago, US |
The examine discovered that 86 per cent of Munich’s inhabitants lives inside 1 km of a car-free house. An additional 85 per cent of residents dwell inside 1 km of healthcare and schooling services, and town boasts lots of of miles of motorcycle trails.
Stephen Zeller, Basic Supervisor of Cash at Evaluate the Market, explains why walkability ought to matter to potential owners:
“Taking a look at transport and facilities is an important step of assessing a possible dwelling,” Zeller explains.
“Which means wanting on the public transport hyperlinks, and seeing how distant your nearest cease is, what time they run to, and frequency; in addition to figuring out routes that you just really feel secure strolling,” he provides.
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Zeller additionally factors out that extra fascinating areas will typically value extra, “which implies you may want a much bigger dwelling mortgage than you have been initially budgeting for”. “Australian residents and everlasting residents seeking to purchase in Australia can use Evaluate the Market’s dwelling mortgage comparability service to get property stories with estimated values totally free, in addition to make use of our free borrowing energy calculator to assist with finances planning,” he says.