Chennai, Sept 8:
Tamil Nadu’s vehicle population has crossed the four-crore mark, driven overwhelmingly by a surge in two-wheelers and cars, even as the growth of public transport vehicles has remained comparatively limited.
Official data shows that the State had 4.057 crore vehicles in 2026-27 up to June, compared with 3.992 crore in 2025-26 and just 1.007 crore in 2007-08. The figures highlight the rapid growth of personal vehicle ownership in Tamil Nadu over the past two decades.
The State’s vehicle population has more than quadrupled since 2007-08. Tamil Nadu took about seven years to move from one crore vehicles to two crore, another six years to cross the three-crore mark and roughly another six years to reach four crore.
Two-wheelers account for the overwhelming majority of vehicles. There were 3.38 crore two-wheelers in 2026-27, accounting for more than 83% of the total vehicle population.
The number of two-wheelers has risen more than fourfold, from 82.6 lakh in 2007-08 to 3.38 crore now.
Cars have also recorded substantial growth. The number of motor cars increased from 8.3 lakh in 2007-08 to 42.2 lakh in 2026-27, representing more than a fivefold increase.
Together, two-wheelers and cars now account for nearly 94% of all vehicles registered in the State.
The acceleration in personal vehicle ownership has been particularly pronounced during the past decade. Tamil Nadu’s total vehicle population increased from 2.04 crore in 2014-15 to 3.76 crore in 2024-25 before crossing four crore in 2026-27.
During the same period, the number of two-wheelers rose from 1.70 crore to 3.16 crore, while the number of cars increased from 18.2 lakh to 38.4 lakh.
In contrast, the growth in public transport vehicles has been modest. Tamil Nadu had 31,148 stage carriages in 2024-25, compared with 24,879 in 2007-08. The increase of around 25% over nearly two decades is far below the growth registered by personal vehicles.
The number of stage carriages has also declined from 34,381 in 2014-15. Public-sector stage carriages fell from 22,474 in 2014-15 to 20,527 in 2024-25, while private stage carriages have largely remained in the range of 7,000 to 8,000.
Retired Anna University urban engineering professor K.P. Subramanian called for stronger public transport infrastructure to check the rapid growth of personal vehicles, particularly two-wheelers.
He stressed the need to increase the frequency of public transport services and integrate different modes of transport. Footpaths and cycle tracks should also be developed to provide safe connections between public transport stations and surrounding areas, he said.
While personal vehicles offer greater convenience, Subramanian pointed out that two-wheeler users remain among the most vulnerable road users, underlining the need for a stronger and safer public transport system.