MUMBAI: Cars in the city have crossed a record 15 lakh, pushing vehicular density to an alarming 753 vehicles per kilometre of road, according to the latest transport department data. Mumbai’s total car registrations stood at 15,06,690 last week, reflecting the relentless growth of private vehicles on roads that have seen little expansion over the years. During the first nine months of the current financial year alone, 49,313 new cars were registered across the city’s four regional transport offices (RTOs). Data shows that the number of cars in Mumbai has more than doubled over the past 13 years, rising from 6.2 lakh in 2012 to 15 lakh in 2025 — a jump of 142%. Even in the last two years, car numbers have grown by 15%, underscoring the rapid pace of motorisation despite congestion and pollution concerns.
Among RTOs, Tardeo recorded the highest number of registrations at 13,408, followed by Andheri with 12,344, Borivli with 11,822 and Wadala with 11,739 registrations during the current fiscal period. Overall vehicular growth has been even steeper. The total number of vehicles in Mumbai has surged from 7 lakh in 2005 to 53 lakh in 2025, of which two-wheelers account for 31 lakh. The trend mirrors a statewide rise in vehicle ownership. Maharashtra currently has about 4.5 crore registered vehicles, including 78 lakh cars and nearly 3 crore two-wheelers. Transport experts warn that the unchecked growth of private vehicles could worsen congestion and strain infrastructure. “Office-goers should be discouraged from using private cars for daily commuting and encouraged to shift to public transport. This can be achieved by strengthening public transport systems and introducing measures such as congestion charges,” a transport analyst said. With road space remaining limited, planners caution that Mumbai’s traffic crisis could deepen unless policy measures are introduced to curb private car use and accelerate investments in mass transit.
