C’garh sees 1,293 vehicle registrations per day
| Date :21-May-2019 |
Staff Reporter:
Bhilai
Although automobile industries of the nation is struggling in last few months due to decline in demand of automobiles in many states, in Chhattisgarh, the weak state of public transport is driving up sales of private vehicles at a startling rate. Private vehicles (both two wheelers and four wheelers) sales are believed to be largely liable for the jet in registration of vehicles in all major Regional Transport Offices (RTOs). As the entire State witnesses a registration of 1,293 vehicles every day, that means over 4.75 lakh vehicles registration in a year.
According to the figures of ministry of road transport and highways, total 4.79 lakh vehicles were registered at different RTOs and sub RTOs of all 27 districts at Chhattisgarh in 2018-19. While the annual registration of vehicles was less than 1 lakh till 2004 in the state, registrations of vehicles continued to grow steadily after that with 2011 seeing a quantum jump. In 2016-17 too, state recorded registrations of over 3.65 lakh vehicles and in 2017-18, it touched to 4.23 lakh registrations. Apart from urban areas, rural areas also saw a rise but mainly in two wheelers. Of all districts, once again Raipur district saw the highest number of registrations of 1.01 lakh vehicles whereas its neighbouring district Durg saw a registration of 98.3 thousands of vehicles in previous fiscal year.
Rajnandgaon stood at third place with 82.3 thousand registrations followed by Korba district with 70.5 thousand registrations of the vehicles. Sources said that though the number of new registration includes re-registration of vehicles, their number is very less. “But we must also keep in mind that over 75% of vehicles are two wheelers. This segment is growing fast as price of two wheelers is within common man’s reach and the transport cost per kilometer is less than what is charged by public transport such as buses and tempos,” said a officer of Transport Ministry.
Urban Transport Expert Raman Rao stated that the situation is expected to get worse as the state’s vehicle populations is likely to touch at least 50 lakh from the present 35.3 lakh in the next 3 to 4 years. He added that with the rise of vehicle population, air as well as sound pollution will also be increased and it would give tough time to the health of people especially children, senior citizens and also of them who suffer from various respiratory infections. Dr A S Sawant, senior officer of Central Pollution Control Board informed that one vehicle produces same kind of air pollution especially Carbon Monoxide like of small scale industries which is responsible for causing numerous health problems like asthma, bronchitis and also of lung cancer. Than the roads of state are also in pathetic condition and in such small shape that they are not able to manage such high vehicle population smoothly.
Other experts were also of the view that the solution lies in improving the availability of public transport like buses as well as trains. They pointed out that it is easy to get loan for cars and two wheelers than for buying a bus. While a private vehicle owner needs to pay the road tax for 15 years, bus owners need to pay annual taxes per seat. So, there is little encouragement or incentive for people to become entrepreneurs in the public transport order. Vijay Kumar Dhurve, Joint Secretary of Chhattisgarh Transport Department could not be contacted after several attempts but Mohammed Akbar; Cabinet Minister of the Transport asserted that he was unaware of it so he could not comment on it.