One family, one car

One family, one car
Minister Suggests Solution To Check Traffic
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: Should Bangaloreans limit themselves to one-family-one-car formula?
This is a suggestion of transport minister N Cheluvarayaswamy to bring the traffic situation under control. One way to check chaotic traffic is to apply brakes on registration of new vehicles. “We are thinking of restricting one car per family at least in congested cities like Bangalore and Mysore. I know there will be opposition and it needs strong political will. But we think this might be a feasible option.’’
But Cheluvarayaswamy himself uses two cars — his personal SUV and his official car. His explanation to TOI: “Mine is a family of four. I have one family car. As the transport minister and Mandya district in-charge, I have to travel a lot. So I use the government car.’’
He reasoned that there are many countries which restrict the number of cars per family in a bid to reduce sound and air pollution. “It was in that backdrop I spoke of regulating the number of cars per family. The idea is still in the initial stage and there is a need for conducting a survey and analysing vehicular ownership pattern before taking any concrete step,’’ he said.
Car-pooling is another option. “We see many cars with just one person in it. Just imagine the amount of space that can be saved on the already congested roads if such persons choose car-pooling or travel by BMTC buses,’’ he contended.
In the Krishna government, then forests and environment minister Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli had suggested a similar cap on registration of new vehicles in a bid to reduce pollution. But the move came to naught.