More vehicles than people in Chandigarh, highest density in country
In what appears to be a record of sorts, Chandigarh has more vehicles than humans with the highest per capita vehicle density in the country.
The vehicular count has surpassed the human population in the city with 2.03 lakh new vehicles registered here during the past five years, according to the official data. The number of vehicles registered in the first planned city of the country is 14.27 lakh, which is much higher than the estimated human population of 13 lakh.
With as many as 2,02,667 vehicles registered in the city between January 1, 2020, and May 31 this year, the per month average of new vehicles hitting the city roads comes out to 3,118 and daily average stands at 104.
Deputy Commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav told The Tribune that on an average, 104 vehicles were registered in Chandigarh as per the registration figures available since 2020.
Besides the new vehicles, the extension to ply 15-year-old vehicles on the city roads is also picking up pace. Around 20,000 such vehicles were given extension in 2024, which was the highest in the past five years. Another 9,000 old vehicles had been given extension here till May 31 this year. As many as 16,600 expired vehicles were granted extension in 2023, 11,775 in 2022, 10,784 in 2021, and 7,832 in 2020.
Besides, the bids for fancy numbers, which have become a status symbol, have gone through the roof in Chandigarh. A vehicle owner paid Rs 31 lakh for getting CH01CZ0001 registration number recently. This was the highest bid received for the fancy numbers by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) governed by the UT Transport Department.
The RLA has become richer by Rs 56.97 crore by selling 38,155 fancy numbers between 2020 and May 2025, said the officials.
The highest bids received for the fancy numbers during the past five years included Rs 31-lakh for CH01CZ0001 in 2025, Rs 23.7 lakh for CH01CV0001 in 2024, Rs 17.3 lakh for CH01CT0001 in 2023, Rs 22.02 lakh for CH01CH0001 in 2022, Rs 13.17 lakh for CH01CE0001 in 2021 and Rs 8 lakh for CH01CC0001 in 2020.
From all the services offered by it, including registering vehicles, issuing driving licences, various permits, and collecting road tax, the RLA has earned a revenue of Rs 1,262.62 crore from 2020 till May 2025. It has issued 63,096 new driving licences, at an average of 971 per month, in the past five years.
VEHICLE POPULATION RISING: DC
“With over 100 new vehicles hitting the roads daily, vehicular population is rising in Chandigarh. Having already surpassed the human population, the motorisation boom is putting strain on the city’s road infrastructure," said Nishant Kumar Yadav, DC
HIGH-END VEHICLES
The elite class of Chandigarh spends hefty sums on the high-end vehicles. Official data has revealed that the top 10 costliest vehicles registered in the city during the past five years were worth Rs 4.99 crore, Rs 4.66 crore, Rs 4.13 crore, Rs 4 crore, Rs 3.82 crore, Rs 3.77 crore, Rs 3.62 crore, Rs 3.57 crore, Rs 3.48 crore and Rs 3.38 crore respectively. These included imported Infinity 750S Spider, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Lamborghini Huracan, and various models of Bentley.
NUMBER COSTLIER THAN VEHICLE
A local resident bought a fancy number for Rs 22.02 lakh for his vehicle, which was worth about Rs 15 lakh.
SIX VINTAGE VEHICLES
Chandigarh also has six registered vintage vehicles, which included Austin 40, Austin 8, Morris Minor 1000, Standard Gazel, Fiat 1100 and a Rajdoot motorcycle. These all have been re-issued registration numbers as per the new series CHVAAA, which is exclusively meant for the vintage vehicles.
TELLING NUMBERS
Revenue from fancy numbers: Rs 56.97 crore
Such numbers auctioned: 38,155
Vehicles registered: 2,02,667
Total revenue earned: Rs 1262.62 crore
Driving licenses issued: 63,096
(SOURCE: RLA, FIGURES FROM 2020 TILL MAY 2025)
Chandigarh