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Bengaluru beats Delhi to become city with India’s highest number of private cars

Banglore Delhi number of private cars

We all know that the traffic in Bengaluru, Karnataka, is already one of the worst in the country. Now, explaining the reason behind this scenario, it has been reported that Bengaluru has officially overtaken Delhi as the city with the highest number of privately registered cars in India. According to recent data released by the Delhi Statistical Handbook 2023, the figures reveal a sharp decline in Delhi’s private car ownership. Meanwhile, the city of Bengaluru has experienced a notable increase in registered vehicles.

Decline in Delhi’s Private Car Ownership

Bengaluru beats Delhi to become city with India’s highest number of private cars

As per the Delhi Statistical Handbook 2023, as of March 31 last year, it has been reported that Delhi had 2.071 million registered private cars. This figure indicates a substantial 38.8% drop since March 31, 2021. The major reason for this decline has been credited to the Supreme Court’s decision that came in October 2018, which banned diesel vehicles aged over 10 years and petrol vehicles over 15 years. The move was aimed at curbing pollution in the capital, which has been suffering from consistently poor air quality.

The Delhi government’s Economic Survey 2022-23 also highlighted another important point. It stated that during the 2021-22 period, the number of vehicles per thousand population in Delhi plummeted from 655 to 472 due to the scrapping policy for diesel and petrol vehicles.

The Rise of Private Car Owners in Bengaluru

Bengaluru beats Delhi to become city with India’s highest number of private cars

On the flip side, the city of Bengaluru, Karnataka, has witnessed a 7.1% increase in privately registered cars since March 31, 2021. It has been reported that the city boasts a total of 2.233 million private cars as of March 31 last year. The statistics on this metric have been reported by the Karnataka Transport Department. Now with this latest figure released, Bengaluru has now become the new leader in private car ownership in India.

Result of this Increase

On one hand, where Bengaluru celebrates this automotive milestone, this massive increase in the number of private cars raises concerns about the city’s already severe traffic problem. The Karnataka Transport Department’s data reveals that the rise in privately registered cars will most likely increase traffic congestion in the city. As we all are aware, this already is a huge issue in the city known for its booming IT industry.

Bengaluru beats Delhi to become city with India’s highest number of private cars

According to experts, this increase in the number of cars will most likely lead to longer commute times, increased air pollution, and challenges in maintaining an efficient public transportation system. As Bengaluru suffers from the addition of new vehicles, city planners and authorities may need to strategize and implement measures to mitigate the potential adverse effects on traffic flow and air quality.

“Peak Bangalore” Traffic Moments

Bengaluru beats Delhi to become city with India’s highest number of private cars

Over the last few months, a number of “Peak Bangalore” traffic moments have taken place, and we ourselves have reported a number of them here at Cartoq. There was one time a KSRTC bus driver was seen finishing off his lunch during a traffic jam. On another occasion, a person ordered Domino’s Pizza while the traffic jam was at its peak. Apart from this, in another viral picture shared on the internet, a woman was seen peeling vegetables in her car while being stuck in a traffic jam in the city.

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