In a world driven by technological advancements, the need for a positive vision on technology resonates loudly among government officials, businesses and technologists. The consensus is clear: technology should strengthen societies by fostering innovation, human rights, inclusion and effective governance. Embracing Digital Public Infrastructures (DPIs) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) marks a pivotal step in redefining how nations interact with technology. It focuses on creating interoperable ecosystems through shared platforms, open protocols, and enabling policies, ensuring the safe and efficient delivery of economic opportunities and social services to all residents.

Since 2023, JICA and JICA DXLab have made a committed push towards DPI/DPG, firmly believing that, in addition to their funding and grants to promote physical infrastructure, data and digital technologies represent a new "asset category" aimed at solving public issues and societal problems.

One of the flagship initiative under DPI/DPG category is Transport Stack.

Yushi Nagano, head of JICA DXLab, and Abhik Chatterjee, Managing Director & Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), share insights on how the Transport Stack has the potential to transform mobility

Delhi boasts an extensive public transport infrastructure, including twelve Metro lines, Rapid Rail, over eight thousand buses, and various micro-mobility providers, all interconnected through a vast network. However, despite the impressive scale of this transport system, Delhi faces worsening traffic congestion, with 42% [1] of annual time spent in rush hour traffic. In 2018, the city's annual economic loss due to traffic congestion amounted to $10 billion [2], adversely impacting both the economy and the environment.

Delhi is the only Indian city to feature in the 2023 Top 40 Best Public Transport list [3] and aspires to reach the Top 10. However, its initiatives aimed at enhancing multi-modal mobility have largely focused on physical infrastructure. The Transport Stack aims to redefine mobility for over 20 million citizens in Delhi. Its long-term goal is to increase the modal share of public transport to above 90% through the development of innovative use-cases.

A groundbreaking aspect of this initiative is the creation of India's first transport-related marketplace, which will integrate over 20 static and real-time datasets across six transport operators in its initial phase. Furthermore, India’s first BeckN protocol powered bus ticketing service has been launched at the intersection of Transport Stack and ONDC, representing a significant advancement in the digital transformation of urban mobility.

The implementation Delhi Transport Stack will produce valuable assets throughout its development lifecycle that can be easily adapted and implemented in other cities around the world, tailored to their specific challenges.

[1] TomTom Traffic Index
[2] Transforming India’s Mobility- Niti Ayog Report
[3] Urban Mobility Readiness Index report by Oliver Wyman Forum

Download the joint report by JICA and BCG to further explore the concept of the Transport Stack. This report highlights the potential of the Transport Stack in creating an interconnected future in mobility.