Do too many cars ply on Hyderabad roads?

When navigating a busy stretch, when a single person in a spacious four-wheeler takes up more space than others on two-wheelers, annoyance is bound to be felt.

Hyderabad: Although cars have been plying Hyderabad roads for decades now, growing traffic congestion is shedding a revived light on the area of space they consume.

When navigating a busy stretch, when a single person in a spacious four-wheeler takes up more space than others on two-wheelers, annoyance is bound to be felt.

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“I understand that cars are safe and a comfortable way to commute. But in peak hours, I think too many cars are a problem. They occupy a lot of roads, even the left lanes sometimes. Also, some people take out their cars even for just a few kilometers when it’s unnecessary,” says Akshay, a regular commuter in the western part of the city.

The understated tension between cars and bikes on Hyderabad roads has always been there. Any conversation between the two in the heat of traffic would end with them calling out each other.

Car drivers say that bikes cut them off recklessly and unnecessarily, whereas bikers accuse cars of sidelining them on roads. There is of course also the angle of status in the choice of vehicles.

It has to be noted that two-wheelers contribute to the most accidents in our country. This is backed by the data shared by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways where 43 per cent of accidents in 2022 were caused by those on bikes.

However, the cause is not always bad driving. In addition to some obvious structural shortcomings of the automobile like limited protection and higher vulnerability in collisions, riders also have restricted maneuverability.

Amidst this, there are many like co-founder of Hyderabad Cycling Revolution Ravi Sambari who think that active mobility is the one-stop solution. When the public transport system is efficient, it will automatically reduce the number of private vehicles on roads.

“First-mile and last-mile connectivity, in addition to bicycle-sharing services, would help ease the traffic. I think people in cars are also slowly looking for these alternatives as they are tired of the amount of time they are spending in traffic. We are seeing a shift and hope the government also implements these,” he says.

Walk if less than one kilometer, bicycle if less than five kilometers, and use public transport if more than five kilometers – this is the rule that Ravi and his cycling peers aim to promote.

One other solution could be carpooling. Although it has multiple challenges like accessibility, time management, and others, if implemented this could work towards reducing the number of cars on city streets.