India, like other developing countries, is characterized by its rising population, mounting urbanization and motorization, and low per capita income. As Indian cities have grown in population, they have also spread outward. A lack of effective planning and land use controls has resulted in rapid, rampant sprawl extending beyond old city boundaries and into the distant countryside. This greatly increased the number and length of trips for most Indians, forcing further reliance on motorized transport.

This paper examines the role that two and three wheelers play in urban transportation networks across India, including government policies, mode share and mode preferences, and policy recommendations.