Surge in Vehicle Registrations in Telangana: A Closer Look

Over 3,000 New Vehicles Daily

Hyderabad: Telangana is witnessing a significant increase in vehicle registrations. More than 3,000 new private vehicles are hitting the roads every day. This surge is due to inadequate public transport, poor last-mile connectivity, and a growing preference for personal vehicles.

Recent Vehicle Growth

The Regional Transport Authority (RTA) reports that Telangana added nearly one million vehicles in the past year. The total number of vehicles increased from 1.63 crore to 1.73 crore by March 31 this year. Over the past four years, the state has added 30 lakh vehicles.

Greater Hyderabad’s Vehicular Population

Greater Hyderabad accounts for half of the total vehicles, with about 85 lakh vehicles. The city’s vehicular population has grown significantly. Twelve years ago, there were 25 lakh vehicles. By 2018, private vehicles, including two-wheelers and four-wheelers, reached 50 lakh. The number of cars exceeded 10 lakh in the same year.

Factors Driving Vehicle Growth

A senior RTA official stated, “Telangana has seen steady growth in vehicle numbers over the years. Good infrastructure and the state’s IT hub status have contributed to this increase. The city’s expansion has also led to significant migration. A few years ago, daily vehicle registrations were around 1,000. Now, they exceed 1,500 registrations per day in Hyderabad.”

Public Transport Challenges

Traffic experts attribute the rise in private vehicle ownership to poor public transport and connectivity. With the city’s population at about 1.2 crore, public transport serves less than one-third of the people. Here’s the daily passenger data:

• RTC accommodates over 25 lakh commuters
• Metro rail transports 5 lakh passengers
• SCR’s MMTS operations cater to around 50,000 people

The rest rely on private vehicles.

Concerns and Recommendations

TS Reddy, a retired official from the Central Road Research Institute, said, “The increasing number of vehicles on existing roads raises concerns about traffic congestion. More high-speed vehicles mean a likely rise in accidents. Statistics show a steady increase in road accidents across the state. Authorities should prioritize RTC buses on high-traffic routes to improve efficiency and encourage public transport use over private vehicles.”