Delhi drowns in vehicles

Each year, more private vehicles are added by the metropolis, putting immense pressure on its roads

This is the scene on the roads of the national capital every sunset as bumper-to-bumper traffic chokes every major carriageway.Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE

Published on:

07 Apr 2026, 12:22 pm

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Delhi is literally drowning in its vehicles. As can be seen in these photographs, bumper-to-bumper traffic dominates the megacity’s roads after sunset, with private cars outnumbering public transport options.

The number of registered vehicles in Delhi is equal to the combined total of registered vehicles in the three metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, according to government figures.Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE

Government figures released last year showed how serious the situation is.

At more than 1.5 crore, the number of registered vehicles in Delhi matches the combined total of registered vehicles in the three metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai.

Until there is behavioural change among the residents of Delhi regarding public transport use, these scenes of chaos will repeat every year.Photo: Vikas Choudhary/CSE

Meanwhile the city continues to add roughly 1,800 new vehicles daily.

Construction of public transport systems can only go so far. Until there are behavioural changes regarding public transport use, these photos will continue to show Delhi’s sad reality year after year.

Delhi

Public Transport

Vehicles

Traffic

Private vehicles

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