Bengaluru
The proliferation of private vehicles in Bangalore continues to surge, with August marking a record-breaking month, according to statistics from the Karnataka Transport Department. An astounding 57,000 new private vehicles were registered in the city during August, comprising 41,052 two-wheelers and 15,202 cars. The remaining registrations encompassed minis, buses, tractors, private service vehicles, and various other vehicle types. This substantial influx of new private vehicles in August represents a 16 percent increase compared to the number of newly registered vehicles in January of the same year. As a result, the total count of private vehicles in Bangalore is poised to surpass the one crore mark. Presently, the city’s roads accommodate a total of 1.11 crore vehicles, with 99.32 lakh of them being private vehicles. To provide context, in January 2023, the city witnessed the registration of 48,756 private vehicles, including 34,791 two-wheelers and 13,737 cars. The trend continued with 36,000 vehicle registrations in February, 39,191 in March, 47,824 in April, 52,592 in May, 53,926 in June, and 50,861 in July, comprising a mix of two-wheelers and cars.Commenting on this burgeoning trend, Ashish Verma from the Indian Institute of Science highlighted the correlation between public transportation and private vehicle registrations. He noted that the expansion of new metro lines has led to an increase in the number of passengers opting for public transport, offsetting the rise in private vehicle acquisitions. As Bangalore grapples with the challenges posed by this surge in private vehicles, urban planners and policymakers face the task of finding sustainable solutions to alleviate traffic congestion and ensure efficient urban mobility.
