The rise in petrol and diesel prices have failed to deter the State’s hunger for motor vehicles, with the two-wheeler population rising nine-fold during the last two decades.
The study, which was carried out by Tamil Nadu Urban Infrastructure Financial Services Ltd, states that between 1993 and 2012, noted that the two-wheeler population has seen an increase from 13.91 lakh to 1.26 crore.
The report says that private vehicle population has increased at a greater level compared to the public transport.
In 2011-12, the total number of public transport vehicles registered were only 1.38 lakh whereas the number of private (non-transport) vehicles registered during the same period was 16.35 lakh, of which two wheelers and motor cars alone came to 16.06 lakh.
The density of motor vehicles per square kilometre in the State has increased from 22 in 1996 to 52 in 2004. The report adds that Chennai accounted for about 24.5 per cent of the total registered vehicles and had more registered vehicles than those in the other cities.
In Tamil Nadu, two-wheeler population is nearly 1.30 crore, which accounts for 78 per cent, while cars add up to only 14 pc. However, registration of new cars is also on the rise, the report stated. The report states that during 2011, Chennai saw a rapid increase in vehicle population with 2.22 lakh new two-wheelers and over 52,000 new cars hitting city roads. Overall, the State has witnessed an increase of 13.7 lakh two-wheelers and 1.45 lakh new cars in 2011, the report added.
The report while stressing the need for promoting public transport, adds that abrupt rise in the vehicle population along with construction work eating up road space has slowed down traffic movement to a snarl on virtually every road during peak hours.
The vehicular population explosion has not only led to the congestion on the already clogged city roads but has also led to increase in pollution levels, the report adds.