Public Bicycle Sharing in India: Lessons Learned from Implementation in Three Cities

This working paper analyzes the implementation of public bicycle-sharing (PBS) systems in India, focusing on the transition from failed private rental models to more successful public-private partnerships in Mysuru, Bhopal, and Pune. It examines the socio-economic barriers to cycling in India and the role of technology and government policy in promoting low-carbon urban mobility.

• Cycling in India has faced a decline due to rapid motorization and a specific social stigma that associated the mode of transport with poverty, making it a "poor man's mode of transport."
• The national mode share for bicycles in India saw a significant decrease, dropping from nearly 30 percent in 1994 to an average of 11 percent by 2007.
• Early PBS attempts in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore failed within months because they relied on completely private rental models that were economically unviable, with government support limited to providing land.
• In 2017, Mysuru, Bhopal, and Pune launched the first relatively successful PBS systems in India by utilizing public-private partnerships, smart technology, and quality service incentives.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Public Bicycle Sharing in India: Lessons Learned from Implementation in Three Cities. https://www.wri.org/research/public-bicycle-sharing-india-lessons-learned-implementation-three-cities

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Public Bicycle Sharing in India: Lessons Learned from Implementation in Three Cities. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/public-bicycle-sharing-india-lessons-learned-implementation-three-cities.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Public Bicycle Sharing in India: Lessons Learned from Implementation in Three Cities |url=https://www.wri.org/research/public-bicycle-sharing-india-lessons-learned-implementation-three-cities |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendpublic, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Public Bicycle Sharing in India: Lessons Learned from Implementation in Three Cities}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/public-bicycle-sharing-india-lessons-learned-implementation-three-cities}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }