Fuel price fears, traffic gridlock push Mumbaikars towards carpooling boom

MUMBAI: As fresh fears of a global fuel price spike triggered another rise in petrol and diesel rates on Friday amid the escalated West Asia crisis, many Mumbaikars battling bumper-to-bumper traffic are increasingly ditching solo driving for shared rides.Every weekday morning, four office-goers gather outside Thane station, pile into a white SUV and begin their slow crawl towards BKC — sharing fuel bills, traffic updates and often breakfast. Until last year, each of them drove separately.“Driving alone had become mentally exhausting,” said 32-year-old IT professional Nitin Sawant, who now carpools daily. “You spend hours stuck in traffic, pay heavily for fuel and parking, and still reach office stressed.”Across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), thousands of commuters are making similar choices as rising fuel costs, worsening congestion and exploding vehicle numbers push motorists towards shared mobility. The shift has also gathered momentum in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated appeal for fuel conservation and shared transport usage.And Mumbai’s roads explain why. The city’s vehicle population has crossed 50 lakh, according to BMC data, with private vehicles accounting for nearly 88% of the total. Cars alone have crossed 15 lakh, while vehicular density has surged to around 753 vehicles per kilometre of road length. In just 13 years, Mumbai’s car population has more than doubled.The result is visible daily on the Eastern and Western Express Highways, where long queues of SUVs and sedans inch bumper-to-bumper through choke points at Sion, Ghatkopar, Andheri and Mankhurd.Against this backdrop, carpooling is witnessing a sharp rise. Global platform BlaBlaCar said India became its biggest market globally in 2025, overtaking France and Brazil. The company estimates nearly 20 million passengers in India this year — about 50% higher than in 2024 — with India contributing almost one-third of its global carpooling activity.Community-led networks in Mumbai are seeing similar growth. “Every day, thousands of people travel alone in cars on the same office routes while our roads remain heavily congested,” said Shailesh Dubey, founder of LiftLelo Carpool. “LiftLelo was started in 2017 with a simple vision — if commuters start sharing empty seats, we can reduce traffic, fuel consumption, travel costs and pollution together.”Dubey said the network grew organically through office groups, residential societies and commuter referrals rather than marketing campaigns.LiftLelo’s commuter base has expanded from around 8,000 members in 2019 to over 35,000 users across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pune in 2025. The busiest routes include BKC, Lower Parel, Powai, Andheri and Pune’s IT corridors.“As more people experienced fuel savings, lower travel stress and reliable office commute matching, the community expanded naturally,” Dubey said. “The mission is not ride profits or commissions, but reducing the number of cars on roads.”For many commuters, the attraction now goes beyond affordability. A daily Navi Mumbai-to-BKC or Powai commuter can spend Rs 15,000-Rs 20,000 a month on fuel, tolls and parking while driving alone. Sharing rides significantly cuts costs while also reducing travel fatigue.“Compared to other travel modes, LiftLelo has made daily commuting much safer, comfortable and stress-free for me, especially being a woman traveller,” said 35-year-old Neha from Kharghar, who carpools regularly to her office in Bandra. “Since all members are verified working professionals, there is a strong sense of safety and trust while travelling regularly.”“It is far more convenient than travelling alone, booking cabs daily or using crowded public transport. I save considerably on monthly travel expenses, avoid the hassle of driving in traffic every day, and the rides are usually punctual and reliable,” she said.“One of the best parts is the community. Many co-travellers have become good friends and we often help each other professionally too. It not only makes commuting economical and eco-friendly, but also creates a very positive and secure travel experience.”Mobility experts said Mumbai’s linear geography naturally creates strong carpool corridors such as Thane-BKC, Panvel-Powai, Kalyan-Andheri and Mumbai-Pune office travel routes. The trend is also being driven by frustration with overcrowded public transport and expensive point-to-point cab travel. While Mumbai’s suburban railway network remains the city’s backbone, many professionals increasingly prefer shared private transport for comfort, predictability and last-mile convenience.Residential societies, office campuses and gated communities are now forming internal ride-sharing groups through apps, WhatsApp and Telegram networks, signalling how carpooling is gradually becoming part of Mumbai’s larger commuting culture.And as fuel prices and traffic volumes continue rising faster than road space, many commuters believe shared mobility may soon become less of an option and more of a necessity.