Record 1 lakh vehicles registered in Kolkata in 2025, worry over road congestion

KOLKATA: The city recorded its highest surge in vehicle registrations in 2025, taking the total registered vehicle count to 23,66,267. The new figures underscore an accelerating shift towards private mobility in the metropolis.

The city’s 2025 registration figure — 1,09,807 — surpassed the previous record set in 2024.


While the trend signals positive momentum for trade and overall economic activity, it also deepens urban challenges. Rising vehicle numbers exacerbate congestion, increase emissions, lengthen travel time and contribute to a worrying decline in public transport usage, said transport expert Bhargav Maitra of IIT Kharagpur.

Data from the city’s four regional transport offices (RTOs) reveal that three zones recorded robust growth in registrations in 2025, while one posted a marginal year-on-year decline. The surge was driven primarily by personalised modes of transportation — two-wheelers and private cars — reflecting post-pandemic travel behaviour, the expansion of suburbanisation and easier access to vehicle financing.

The public vehicles department (PVD) in Beltala, the core RTO of the city, leads in terms of number of registrations. It registered 44,455 vehicles in 2025, a 16% increase over 38,319 in 2024.

The cumulative registrations at the RTO reached 9,83,823 vehicles to date. After a slight dip in 2023, growth remained firmly positive for two consecutive years.

Behala RTO stood out with the highest growth rate among all zones. It registered 14,962 vehicles in 2025, a robust 17.3% increase over the previous year, when 12,755 vehicles were registered. The zone witnessed a rapid recovery since 2023 and recorded a sharp jump of 36% since 2024.

Total registrations in Behala RTO now stand at 3,21,537.

Salt Lake RTO also reported a healthy growth, with 27,588 vehicles registered in 2025, marking an 8.4% rise from 25,453 in 2024. With total registrations crossing 5,66,137, Salt Lake continued its steady upward trajectory, building on consistent gains since 2023.

Kasba was the only RTO to register a contraction in 2025. Registrations fell marginally to 22,802, a 1.52% decline from 23,154 in 2024. Despite the dip, long-term data indicates gradual expansion, with cumulative registrations touching 4,94,740 vehicles, said a transport department official.

Personal vehicles dominate the trend. Officials attribute the overall rise to increasing demand for two-wheelers for daily commuting and compact cars for family use. Rising income levels, improved road connectivity in peripheral areas, and reduced confidence in overcrowded public transport accelerated this shift.

With early 2026 figures already showing fresh additions across all RTOs, transport officials expect vehicle registrations in Kolkata to remain on a growth path, even as policymakers grapple with challenges related to congestion, parking, and urban emissions.