The 2019-20 state economic survey has shed light on the state of traffic in Mumbai. This report mentions that with a vehicle density of 1,900/km, Mumbai is up to 15 times worse than the state of Maharashtra on the whole. Maharashtra has a vehicle density of 123/km. One of the primary factors responsible for this is the fact that the city’s roads have remained unchanged for the most part at around 2,000 km.
The report adds that this has led to a 35 per cent increase in the density of traffic over the last five years. As a consequence, this has impacted travel times on BEST buses with the roads densely populated with private cars and two-wheelers.
As of January 1, 2020, the total number of vehicles on the city’s streets had breached the 38 lakh mark. Unsurprisingly, the number of two-wheelers spiked by 7 per cent as of the latest figures. Light motor vehicles like cars, jeeps, taxis and so on are now over the 12-lakh mark. By comparison, the entire state of Maharashtra has 55 lakh vehicles.
Also Read: Here's Why You Will Face More Traffic In Mumbai From February 27
Delhi, on the other hand, which also faces traffic issues, has 28,999 km of roads. But with just around 2,000 kms of motorable roads in Mumbai, the increase in private vehicles has really had an impact on the efficiency of Mumbaikars. The report also mentions that Mumbai’s traffic has increased by 6.6 per cent compared to 2019-20. The total number of vehicles in the city now stands at 3.7 crores.
While there are multiple suggestions to curb traffic, one of the most effective appears to be the application of a carbon tax.
This, in turn, offers incentives to the citizens for keeping their private vehicles at home and use public transport. The city’s ability to upgrade and add new public transit infrastructure like metros, local trains, buses, and so on will also be crucial in combating the traffic menace.
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