Record surge in Kol two-wheeler count sets off traffic, safety alarm
Data from the four Regional Transport Offices — PVD (Beltala), Salt Lake, Kasba, and Behala — reveal a consistent, year-on-year surge in their registrations. PVD alone has added over 90,000 two-wheelers since 2020. While two-wheelers offer speed and fuel efficiency in congested areas, their unchecked rise exacerbates urban issues like traffic congestion, high emission and road safety, say experts.The pandemic reshaped commuting patterns in Kolkata, with many preferring personal transport to avoid public gatherings. The surge in online delivery services and ride-hailing bike taxis further accelerated this growth, offering new earning avenues to the city's youth but contributing majorly to overcrowded and unsafe roads."Two-wheelers have become our biggest headache. We do not have test tracks to judge riding capabilities. Many get licences without acquiring proper skills, which results in chaos and accidents," said a traffic sergeant posted in south Kolkata. The unregulated boom in bikes has brought with it a spike in road accidents. Often found manoeuvring through gaps between vehicles without regard to lane discipline or taking risky turns, two-wheelers are increasingly involved in fatal mishaps. Their erratic movement at intersections reduces traffic throughput, is an irritant for other motorists and contributes to vehicular emission, experts claim."At road intersections, criss-crossing by two-wheelers delays green-light flows, forcing all vehicles to idle longer and increasing PM10 and PM2.5 emissions," says Abhijit Chatterjee, an air pollution expert.Dipankar Sinha, former director general of town planning at Kolkata Municipal Corporation, too, agrees that two-wheelers "slow down everyone else".According to transport department figures, over 70% of the city's non-commercial vehicles are two-wheelers. Experts say the sharp rise in this count reflects a deeper problem — an erosion of public transport."Only subsidised and efficient public transit like trams and buses can reduce the two-wheeler population. When public options weaken, people turn to personal vehicles," says A K Das, former chief of traffic and transport planning directorate.With Kolkata already bursting at its seams, the latest bike registration count is a clear signal that unless the city reinvests in an efficient, accessible and sustainable public transport system, the two-wheeler explosion could become unmanageable — and dangerous —for everyone.Kolkata: A staggering 57,033 new two-wheelers joined Kolkata's vehicular traffic in 2024, the highest single-year spike for the category, underscoring an alarming trend that has been growing since the Covid outbreak.Since 2020, Kolkata has added over 2.5 lakh two-wheelers, fundamentally altering the city's traffic landscape. Data from the four Regional Transport Offices — PVD (Beltala), Salt Lake, Kasba, and Behala — reveal a consistent, year-on-year surge in their registrations. PVD alone has added over 90,000 two-wheelers since 2020. While two-wheelers offer speed and fuel efficiency in congested areas, their unchecked rise exacerbates urban issues like traffic congestion, high emission and road safety, say experts.The pandemic reshaped commuting patterns in Kolkata, with many preferring personal transport to avoid public gatherings. The surge in online delivery services and ride-hailing bike taxis further accelerated this growth, offering new earning avenues to the city's youth but contributing majorly to overcrowded and unsafe roads."Two-wheelers have become our biggest headache. We do not have test tracks to judge riding capabilities. Many get licences without acquiring proper skills, which results in chaos and accidents," said a traffic sergeant posted in south Kolkata. The unregulated boom in bikes has brought with it a spike in road accidents. Often found manoeuvring through gaps between vehicles without regard to lane discipline or taking risky turns, two-wheelers are increasingly involved in fatal mishaps. Their erratic movement at intersections reduces traffic throughput, is an irritant for other motorists and contributes to vehicular emission, experts claim."At road intersections, criss-crossing by two-wheelers delays green-light flows, forcing all vehicles to idle longer and increasing PM10 and PM2.5 emissions," says Abhijit Chatterjee, an air pollution expert.Dipankar Sinha, former director general of town planning at Kolkata Municipal Corporation, too, agrees that two-wheelers "slow down everyone else".According to transport department figures, over 70% of the city's non-commercial vehicles are two-wheelers. Experts say the sharp rise in this count reflects a deeper problem — an erosion of public transport."Only subsidised and efficient public transit like trams and buses can reduce the two-wheeler population. When public options weaken, people turn to personal vehicles," says A K Das, former chief of traffic and transport planning directorate.With Kolkata already bursting at its seams, the latest bike registration count is a clear signal that unless the city reinvests in an efficient, accessible and sustainable public transport system, the two-wheeler explosion could become unmanageable — and dangerous —for everyone.
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