Moving People, Not Just Vehicles: Sudhir Badami’s Vision for Mumbai

A book that reminds us that transport is not merely about moving vehicles; it is about moving people, hopes, and futures for all and not some.

In the story of modern India, the port city has emerged as both a marvel and a dilemma—a symbol of restless energy and uneven opportunity. Among these, Mumbai, the ancient port turned pulsating metropolis, captures the paradox of our times: a city that never sleeps, yet one where the common man struggles to move forward.

Sudhir Badami’s “Making Commuting in Mumbai Enviable” is, in many ways, a thoughtful invitation to rediscover the soul of urban mobility—not as a question of technology alone, but as a moral and civic imperative. It reminds us that “transport is not merely about moving vehicles; it is about moving people, hopes, and futures.”

This work does not carry the authority of government, nor the weight of corporate ambition. Its strength lies elsewhere—in the quiet conviction of a citizen who believes that dignity and design must walk together. Such belief is not naïve. It is rooted in the deepest traditions of democratic planning, where public works are meant not to impress the few but to uplift the many.

The proposals in this book—electric microbuses for the last mile, a networked BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) system for all citizens, and the reimagining of para-transport through dignified aggregator models—may appear modest in scale, but they carry within them the possibility of transformation. If implemented with care and guided by science, they may well achieve what we once called the "temple of modern India"—a public infrastructure that serves all, not some.

Yet, I would be remiss if I did not gently point toward what remains to be done.

For every noble idea must be tested on the anvil of governance, law, and engineering.

Our cities are not only crowded; they are complex. The vehicles proposed must align with the evolving standards of safety and accessibility—AIS-052, AIS-63, and others—not as a bureaucratic hurdle, but as a promise to protect the very people we seek to serve. The dreams of the author must now walk hand in hand with institutions like ARAI, IITs, and civic bodies so that imagination is not left adrift but anchored in possibility.

Let us also not forget that the strength of a democratic society lies not only in the boldness of its dreams but also in the humility of its design. Mumbai’s transport cannot be built by cement alone—it must be shaped by compassion, by equity, and by that rare quality in public life: patience.

To Sudhir Badami, I offer not only appreciation but encouragement. In a time when cities are too often shaped by elite visions and imported technologies, his voice reminds us of Gandhi’s talisman: “Recall the face of the poorest and weakest…” and ask if your transport policy will help them commute in dignity.

The scope of urban commuting is vast—shaped by economic pressures, social inequalities, and infrastructural constraints—too complex for any single work to fully encompass. Yet, this book makes a meaningful contribution by bringing humane clarity to that complexity. It does not claim to answer every question, but it dares to ask the ones that matter. In doing so, it reminds us that thoughtful public transport is not merely a technical pursuit—it is a moral one. And with sincerity and vision, this work marks an earnest step toward that larger journey.

And in that alone, it becomes a document of importance. It deserves to be read, debated, improved—and above all, acted upon.

The path to a just city is rarely straight, often congested, and almost always under construction. But progress, like good public transport, begins with someone deciding not to wait endlessly. This book, in that spirit, may well be the proverbial bus that finally shows up—not perfect, perhaps, but heading in the right direction.

(The writer is a former Maharashtra government official. Views personal.)