New data reveals that Delhi's vehicle count now equals the combined total of Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, putting immense pressure on the capital's roads. The Union road transport and highways minister, Nitin Gadkari, informed the Lok Sabha that these four megacities collectively have approximately 3.1 crore vehicles, with private vehicles accounting for about 90% of this total. Delhi alone accounts for roughly 52% of the private vehicles registered in these four cities.
Delhi's Vehicle Statistics
In 2023, Delhi witnessed a record sale of vehicles, with over 6.5 lakh registrations, marking the highest figure in the last five years. This number surpassed pre-pandemic figures, exceeding the 6.4 lakh registrations in 2019. On average, around 1,800 vehicles were sold daily in Delhi during 2023. Two-wheelers led the sales with 4 lakh registrations, followed by cars at 1.9 lakh. The rise in sales has been attributed to the subsiding pandemic, increased demand from delivery personnel and bike taxis, and the "end of life" rule for older vehicles. The "end of life" rule mandates that diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years are considered end-of-life vehicles and will not be given fuel.
As of March 31, 2023, Delhi had 79.5 lakh vehicles, with 20.7 lakh being private cars. However, Delhi no longer holds the record for the highest number of private cars, as Bengaluru has overtaken it with more than 23.1 lakh private cars. The Delhi transport department has deregistered and scrapped many overaged and condemned vehicles in recent years. From 2021 to 2023, almost 5.5 lakh cars were deregistered, 1.4 lakh were scrapped, and over 6.2 lakh received no-objection certificates for re-registration in other states.
Mumbai's Vehicle Statistics
Mumbai's total number of vehicles has exceeded 46 lakh, with over 2.54 lakh new vehicles registered in 2023. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) saw a total of 3.71 lakh registrations during the same year, with the Thane RTO recording the highest number at 1.12 lakh. In 2024, more than 2.79 lakh new vehicles were registered in Mumbai, a 9.89% increase from 2.54 lakh in 2023. Experts are concerned about the rising vehicle numbers in Mumbai, especially with limited road infrastructure.
Kolkata's Vehicle Statistics
In Kolkata, vehicle registrations rose by 18.5% post-pandemic. The number of vehicles registered in Kolkata in 2022 was 21,08,718, an 18.52% increase over the 17,79,111 registrations in 2019. The annual average increase in vehicle registrations before the pandemic was around 4.5%, but it surged to 6.14% in 2022. Kolkata has been setting new monthly records in vehicle registrations, further intensifying concerns over traffic congestion and air pollution. In June 2025, 7,794 new vehicles were registered in Kolkata. This surge is driven by two- and four-wheelers, reflecting a growing preference for private mobility due to gaps in public transport infrastructure.
Chennai's Vehicle Statistics
In Chennai, the number of registered motor vehicles was reported at 6,351,729 in 2020. This is an increase from the previous number of 5,996,624 in 2019. In 2024, Tamil Nadu registered 19.5 lakh new vehicles, up from 18.26 lakh in 2023, 17 lakh in 2022, and 15.15 lakh in 2021.
Concerns and Implications
The increasing number of vehicles in these metropolitan cities raises concerns about traffic congestion, air pollution, and the adequacy of public transport. In Kolkata, experts point to the steady decline of the public transport system as a major reason for the increasing dependence on personal vehicles. Environmental activists also highlight the burden on the city's air quality with the continuous addition of new vehicles. In Mumbai, experts suggest the need for better public transport and increased parking charges to manage the growing number of vehicles.
