Chandigarh: Chandigarh, known as the City Beautiful, is witnessing a rapid rise in vehicle numbers, far outpacing the growth of its human population. The total number of registered vehicles in the Union Territory has reached close to 15 lakh, while the estimated population stands at around 13 lakh.
Official data from the Registration and Licensing Authority (RLA) show that 2,21,497 new vehicles were registered in the city over the past five years, reinforcing Chandigarh’s position among Indian cities with the highest per capita vehicle density.
RLA Praduman Singh said the data reflect a steady year-on-year increase in registrations, dominated by two-wheelers and motor cars. As per annual figures, 36,963 vehicles were registered in 2021, followed by a sharp rise to 47,244 in 2022 and 50,930 in 2023. Registrations dipped slightly to 40,762 in 2024 but climbed again to 45,598 in 2025, marking an increase of nearly 12 percent over the previous year.
Category-wise trends show petrol-powered two-wheelers remain the most preferred vehicles. In 2025 alone, 23,466 petrol two-wheelers were registered, the highest figure not only for that year but also for any single category in the past five years. Motor cars and light motor vehicles (LMVs) followed. While electric vehicles still account for a small share, their numbers are rising steadily each year.
Year-wise data indicate that in 2021, the city registered 16,405 petrol two-wheelers, 12,798 petrol LMVs and 6,033 diesel vehicles. Registrations increased further in 2022 and 2023, with petrol two-wheelers consistently topping the charts. The year 2025 recorded the highest-ever registrations of petrol two-wheelers during the five-year period.
Cumulative RLA figures show that a total of 9,14,023 registration certificates (RCs) have been issued so far. Of these, 4,78,282 are for motorcycles and scooters and 4,35,741 for motor cars. Including commercial vehicles, buses and other categories, the overall vehicle population has now reached nearly 15 lakh, surpassing the city’s human population.
The surge in vehicle numbers has also led to a significant increase in government revenue. The RLA earned ₹113.69 crore in 2020-21, ₹182.91 crore in 2021-22, ₹253.65 crore in 2022-23, ₹310.73 crore in 2023-24 and ₹341.84 crore in 2024-25. In the ongoing 2025-26 financial year, ₹244.72 crore has already been collected. Over the past five years, total revenue generated by the RLA stands at ₹1,447.56 crore.
