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CAG: Global congestion indices rise to 25% by 2025 at BRICS SAI Leaders' Summit in Bengaluru
CAG K. Sanjay Murthy told delegates at the 5th BRICS SAI Leaders’ Summit in Bengaluru that global congestion indices rose from 20% to 25% as of 2025, costing urban commuters 100–180 hours per year. He urged integrated, multi-modal planning and announced ongoing audits of Indian cities on Ease of Living and transport systems in partnership with IIT, IIM, and the World Bank.
Why It Matters
The remarks highlight productivity losses from urban congestion and the need for cross-system coordination in public infrastructure, with implications for BRICS governance and public oversight.
Timeline
1 Event
Global congestion indices rise to 25% by 2025, per CAG at BRICS SAI Leaders' Summit
May 7, 2026
CAG K. Sanjay Murthy stated that global congestion indices had risen from 20% to 25% as of 2025, costing each urban commuter between 100 and 180 hours of productive time every year. He spoke at the 5th BRICS Supreme Audit Institutions Leaders' Summit in Bengaluru, arguing that urban mobility fails not for lack of roads but for lack of integrated systems. He said we measure outputs (km of road laid, stations built) rather than outcomes (reduced commute times, better air quality, reduced inequality) and stressed the ongoing special audit of 101 Indian cities assessing Ease of Living, and audits of multi-modal transport and first-/last-mile logistics in partnership with IIT, IIM, and the World Bank.