Grievance:Reforms in Car Pool Policy.
Sanjeev Goyal
PRSEC/E/2025/0036621
It is a matter of everybody’s knowledge that most of Indian cities are technically not habitable only because of excessive air pollution. The congestion on roads & at parking lots is also accelerating in dangerous proportions. The major source of which is often cited as caused by huge population of vehicles. If we analyze, lions share of roads during peak hours is occupied by private cars carrying only a single person. The cars also have a major contribution in parking problem across country, this includes private cars and taxis both. From road/passenger ratio also the cars are to be blamed for occupying most road space per passenger, hence is grossly inefficient means of transportation when road space is limited.
Any work done for development or in the name of increasing convenience which deprives humanity from pure air & water is of no use and must be discarded straight forward.
Therefore, in order to overcome the bad effects of such large number of private/commercial cars plying during peak hours Govt. often emphasize on the need of car pool to avoid pollution & save money. Incidentally the provisions of Motor Vehicle Act 1988 do not seem to be in alignment with the present day requirement. The provisions do not simply permit any private paid car pool? No one is authorized to ferry private car for hire or reward – so how this scheme will take off in a major way. Just friendly car pool is neither sustainable nor will be able to bring any impact in a big way. It is felt that this legal provision is a major road block in the way large scale car pool can happen in our society. Only contract carriage is allowed to transport passengers, not private cars. In many other countries of world cars are used for personal and commercial purposes (as taxi) simultaneously without any sort of distinction. The permission to carry passengers in a private car can have far reaching impact on Indian transport sector altogether and can prove to be a major road transport reform. This can unlock a huge hidden potential to provide such service by private cars and significantly reduce the road congestion.
In so many countries Uber car pool aggregator engages private individuals those in their spare time work as taxi. Just a small change in law will bring following benefits to society:
Permitting private car to ferry passengers, will definitely lead to a significant decline in demand for new cars to be run as taxis. This will not only reduce congestion on roads but also reduce the gravity of parking problem. With this amendment car pool can achieve greater magnitude.
In big cities many households have 2 or more cars without any significant usage just unnecessarily blocking capital & space. The permission to run them for rewards will simply unlock this capital investment and put it to use. This would also generate opportunity for thousands of unemployment youth those are equipped with driving skill but don’t have access to own vehicle. So, a simple change in law in line with what practically happening in other parts of world has capability to bring many advantages to India at no additional cost.
This being a matter of general public interest may be considered by NITI Aayog.
