Banglore has 1 car for every 2 people

Petrol and diesel prices are soaring and roads are getting congested and pulverised, but there is no fall in number of vehicles being registered in the silicon city.

In fact, figures available with the transport department say there is a vehicle for every two people. Also, on an average, 1,250 new vehicles are being registered every day in the 10 RTOs of the city.

According to 2011 census, Bangalore's population has touched 84.74lakh while vehicle population has reached at least 42 lakh. This means there is a vehicle for every two persons. Two wheelers are more compared with four wheelers.

There were 22 lakh vehicles in the city in 2005. In five-and-half-years, this number almost doubled. With the increase in population and expansion of the city, problems related to connectivity increased manifold.

More people went for personalised modes of transport which grew by leaps and bounds. Two wheelers and cars comprise almost 90% of the total registered vehicular population in the city.

Two wheelers constitute more than 70% of the total volume while cars comprise 15%, autos 4% and buses, vans and tempos comprise 7%.

According to Bangalore Traffic Police, most city roads are operating above their capacity and volume: capacity ranges from 1:2, to 1:3 and 1:5.

In some of the prominent roads such as Nrupatunga Road, Richmond Road, KG Road, Lalbagh Road, Puttannachetty Road, MG Road, Chord Road and Tumkur Road, vehicle movement had reached saturation point several years ago. Still, more and more vehicles hit these stretches.

Because of rising vehicle population in the city, travel speed has dropped to 15 kmph during peak hours. Public transport vehicles are vying for road space with private modes. There is also big gap between vehicle population and infrastructure . For instance, parking spaces are too little.

To overcome this problem, the BBMP had promised to construct eight-level parking complexes in the central business district two years ago. But the project never took off.

BBMP had identified 45 playgrounds in the city to construct underground parking facility. But following widespread opposition from the public, it dropped all such plans.

Now the high court has allowed the transport department to issue 40,000 new auto permits in the city. So in the coming days, city roads will witness maddening traffic. Commuters will have to face more congestion and pollution.