40 lakh vehicles use Delhi roads every day

Saturday, 1 May 2010


A large population living on the fringes of the Capital - in several colonies along the state border or in satellite towns in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh - travel by their own vehicles in Delhi. Of the 35-40 lakh vehicles on Delhi roads every day, 12 lakh vehicles, almost one-third move across the city border every day.

These figures were a part of a presentation made by RITES, the central government's infrastructure consultancy company, in a meeting of the special task force (STF), constituted by the High Court to evolve a comprehensive long-term policy for a sustainable transport network. The STF is a committee of 12 members under the chairmanship of Delhi chief secretary Rakesh Mehta.

It includes officials of Delhi traffic police, transport department, Delhi Metro and representatives of NGOs working in the field of traffic and transport. With such high number of vehicles, RITES, in its presentation, emphasised the need to develop a strong public transport link of Metro trains and buses between Delhi and the satellite towns.

Unanimous on the need to curb the rising number of private vehicles on city roads every day, the STF also explored various possibilities to make people give up travel by private vehicles and make more use of public transport. Levying congestion charges on private vehicles, increasing parking charges in central vistas that are well-connected with public transport and promotion of non-motorised vehicles like bicycles and cycle rickshaws were also discussed.

"With the speed with which private vehicles are being added to city roads every day, there will be almost 1.5 crore vehicles registered in Delhi by 2030. There is an urgent need to restrict private vehicles," said an official, who was part of the STF meeting.

Original news source http://www.siasat.com/english/news/40-lakh-vehicles-use-delhi-roads-every-day