2 min readChandigarhOct 14, 2024 08:26 AM IST
First published on: Oct 14, 2024 at 08:24 AM IST
Around two thousand new vehicles were bought by Chandigarh residents in the nine days of Navratri.
As many as 1,861 vehicles were registered from October 3 to October 11, according to the details shared by the Chandigarh Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA). Several people purchase new vehicles in this period, which is considered auspicious as per Hindu religion.
Data revealed that 964 petrol based two-wheelers and 436 petrol-based cars were registered. Also, 53 electric cars, 59 hybrid cars, and 93 electric two-wheelers, were also bought by people.
RLA data showed 24 CNG cars and 153 new diesel cars were also purchased during this period.
From 2014 till date that is 2024, Chandigarh has added approximately 4.69 lakh vehicles to its already crumbling infrastructure.
Even as there have been discussions and debates on the need to strengthen the public transport on the lines of countries abroad, the Union Territory’s (UT’s) residents prefer personal vehicles.
Since Covid, more cars than two-wheelers
Prior to the Covid year of 2020, more two-wheelers than four-wheelers were registered in Chandigarh. After Covid, however, the mood in the ‘City Beautiful’ began to change.
In 2014, 29,859 two-wheelers and 21,476 cars were registered in Chandigarh, while 28,936 two-wheelers and 21,365 cars were registered in 2015. In 2016 and 2017, 28,794 and 30,341 two-wheelers, and 21,073 and 21,765 new cars were added, respectively.
All these years, the number of electric vehicles registered in the city was zero, except in 2017, when 13 electric cars and one electric two-wheeler were bought.
In 2018, 2019 and 2020, 29,698, 25,698 and 15,148 two-wheelers were registered in Chandigarh respectively. In these three years, 20,120, 18,975 and 15,402 cars were purchased. However, after 2020, four-wheeler registrations overtook two-wheeler registrations.
In 2021, as many as 20,437 cars were registered, while 16,527 two-wheelers were added. In 2022, there were 21,829 new two-wheelers and 25,415 new four-wheelers. In 2023, car registrations beat the two-wheeler registrations again as 26,515 cars and 20,278 two-wheelers were added.
Experts have said authorities in Chandigarh, a city with the highest vehicle density in the country, must take steps to make its public transport system robust to ease the already congested city roads.
The ‘City Beautiful’ desperately requires the need to make a robust smart public transport else its roads that are already burgeoning under the high vehicle density will be choked and cramped entirely, experts warned.
Data revealed that 964 petrol based two-wheelers and 436 petrol-based cars were registered. Also, 53 electric cars, 59 hybrid cars, and 93 electric two-wheelers, were also bought by people. (Express Archives/ representational) 
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