[sustran] Bangalore inches closer to Delhi in vehicle density

[Vinay Baindur]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Bangalore-inches-closer-to-Delhi-in-vehicle-density/articleshow/17365865.cms


*Bangalore inches closer to Delhi in vehicle density*
By Dipak Kumar Dash, TNN | Nov 26, 2012, 01.42 AM IST




NEW DELHI: Creation of IT jobs in Bangalore and Hyderabad seems to have a
direct impact on the growth of private vehicles in these two cities.
Bangalore, in the past two years, has emerged as next only to Delhi in
terms of annual vehicle registration while Hyderabad recorded a big
increase in this category in the past two years.

Data accessed by TOI shows that while Delhi remains the city with maximum
registration of vehicles both in 2011 and in this year till November,
number of vehicles in Bangalore is fast increasing. In 2011, Delhi recorded
4.76 lakh vehicle registrations and till November this year, the national
capital saw registration of 3.99 lakh vehicles. On the other hand,
Bangalore witnessed a huge jump from 2.72 lakh vehicle registrations last
year to 3.28 lakh in the past 11 months.

The trend is similar in Hyderabad. The city witnessed an increase of at
least 14,000 from last year in registration of vehicles, taking its total
to 46,163. "Young people with handsome earnings from the IT industry are
shifting to these two cities, you will find most of them buying a vehicle
within months after coming here. This trend will continue for the next
couple of years. In Bangalore, you have long jams because of the high
vehicular growth," said a senior road transport and highways ministry
official.

On the other hand, vehicle growth (based on annual registration figure) in
three other cities - Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata - has stabilized. For
example, in Chennai this year, registration stood at 1.91 lakh in
comparison to 2.26 lakh in 2011 and in Mumbai, so far 1.60 lakh vehicles
have been registered this year against 2.27 lakh in 2010. "We have a huge
problem in Chennai where we add 1,000 vehicles every day, but the only
difference is 80% of these are two-wheelers," said a Chennai Metro rail
official.

However, Delhi is clearly under heavy load of vehicles and there is a need
to find some solution considering vehicular pollution adversely impacting
ambient air quality. The data also shows that total vehicles registered in
Delhi is equal to the total number registered in Chennai, Mumbai and
Hyderabad. The trend was same in 2011.