Hyderabad's Traffic Nightmare Deepens with Soaring Second Vehicle Ownership
Hyderabad: Navigating Hyderabad's roads during peak hours has transformed into a daunting challenge, with even simple errands on two-wheelers becoming excessively time-consuming. Traffic experts attribute this escalating gridlock primarily to a significant rise in residents acquiring second personal vehicles, whether cars or motorcycles.
Alarming Statistics Reveal a Growing Trend
Data from the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) paints a concerning picture: approximately one in every nine motorists in Hyderabad now owns more than one vehicle. With around 88 lakh registered vehicles in the city, over 9.5 lakh individuals possess a second vehicle. Notably, ownership of multiple vehicles has surged dramatically following the pandemic, with more than 50% of these second vehicles purchased since 2020. In the last five years alone, an additional 5.2 lakh vehicles have been added to Hyderabad's roads solely as secondary means of transport.
Traffic analysts explain that these second vehicles are frequently used by different family members simultaneously during peak hours—for commuting to workplaces, dropping children at school, or handling daily chores—thereby exacerbating road congestion. "Previously, a single vehicle often served an entire household. Today, multiple vehicles from the same home hit the roads concurrently, particularly in the morning and evening rush hours," remarked an RTA official.
The Impact of Dual Car Ownership
The trend extends to four-wheelers, with more than 2 lakh Hyderabad residents now owning two cars. This increase intensifies gridlocks and worsens parking shortages in both residential and commercial zones. Roads designed decades ago for far fewer vehicles are now struggling under this unprecedented surge.
Transport officials highlight that limited bus and suburban rail services, coupled with unreliable last-mile connectivity, compel families to depend heavily on personal vehicles. While second vehicles enhance household mobility, they also contribute to longer travel times, reduced average speeds, and frequent bottlenecks at intersections.
Root Causes: Inadequate Public Transport and Changing Lifestyles
Urban mobility experts identify weak public transport systems, evolving lifestyles, and increased purchasing power as key drivers behind Hyderabad's growing reliance on second vehicles. Currently, only about 30% of the city's population uses public transport, leaving the majority dependent on personal vehicles for daily travel.
"In many households with four to five members, it is now common to find three or even four vehicles, often parked on public roads due to insufficient parking space in apartment complexes," stated Vinod Kumar Kanumala of the Indian Federation of Road Safety. "Narrow internal roads in residential colonies are clogged with parked vehicles, hindering the passage of two-wheelers and emergency services. Even in my own three-member family, we have two cars and two two-wheelers, primarily because public transport fails to meet our daily commuting needs."
Kanumala pointed out that easy access to vehicle loans, low down-payments, and extended repayment tenures have made car and two-wheeler ownership affordable for even lower-income groups.
Second Vehicles: A Necessity, Not a Luxury
For many residents, owning a second vehicle is no longer a luxury but a practical necessity. Sai Kaushik, a BHEL resident, explained, "I use my two-wheeler for office commutes to navigate traffic and ensure punctuality. However, for family trips or longer distances, I rely on my car. Public transport is unreliable, with buses and metro trains often overcrowded, especially during peak hours, making a second vehicle unavoidable."
Similar sentiments are echoed by others. G Sandeep, a Kondapur resident with two cars and a scooter, shared, "My wife and I work in different parts of the city with mismatched schedules. Depending on overcrowded buses or the metro is impractical. Owning a second vehicle is the only way to manage our routines." He added that parking has become a major issue, with one vehicle frequently parked on the roadside due to full apartment parking lots.
Calls for Stringent Regulations and Policy Interventions
Experts warn that without bolstering public transport, enforcing parking regulations, and implementing policies such as congestion pricing, higher parking fees, and carpooling incentives, Hyderabad's traffic situation will deteriorate rapidly. They advocate for tougher norms to curb second-vehicle ownership, moving beyond the current nominal 2% motor vehicle tax.
Singapore's strict vehicle ownership framework, including its Certificate of Entitlement (COE) system, is cited as a potential model. Under this system, every vehicle—including second ones—requires a fresh COE, along with steep additional registration fees, customs duties, and congestion-linked charges, making multiple vehicle ownership prohibitively expensive.
"Significantly higher taxes and regulatory disincentives are needed to discourage people from owning second vehicles," emphasized TS Reddy, a retired official from the Central Road Research Institute and transport planning expert. "A key policy intervention could mandate that vehicle buyers prove the availability of designated parking space before registration approval."
However, Reddy cautioned against solely blaming vehicle owners, noting that poor public transport and last-mile connectivity issues are pushing individuals toward additional personal mobility options.
