Past GT essay More and more people use private cars instead of taking public transport. What are the reasons for this trend? How can the government encourage people to take public transport?

Someone has rightly said that – “The car has become an article of dress without which we feel uncertain, unclad, and incomplete”.  It is irrefutable that many individuals are using their own instead of going by buses and trains. In this essay, I shall discuss the reasons for this phenomenon and also suggest ways by which the government can motivate people to use public transport.

There are many reasons for the increasing popularity of cars. The first and foremost reason is that the car is the most convenient mode of transport. It takes you from destination to destination and you do not have to waste time to go to the bus stand or railway station to wait for public transport which runs at specific times. Secondly, families can go out together and enjoy their outings more. What is more, you can halt anywhere you need for some refreshments. The car is also a blessing in times of emergencies when a sick family member has to be shifted to the hospital. Finally, because of the increased competition among the automobile companies, the cars have become affordable by the vast majority of people. For example, the basic model of Maruti 800 and the Nano by Tata Company are called the poor man’s cars.

This increased number of cars on the roads is causing many problems such as traffic congestion and pollution. To reduce these problems, the government can encourage people to use public transport. This can be done in many ways. Firstly, the comfort of the public transport could be made better. Secondly, the fares could be reduced and the frequency of public transport should be increased. Definitely, if all these improvements are made in buses and trains, then people would prefer them over cars in many situations.

Another way to stimulate public transport use is to make private car use more expensive and inconvenient. The introduction of tolls along urban motorways has been successfully employed in many cities. Other such measures such as high parking rates in urban areas also could help a lot. Faced with high costs or no place to park, people would perhaps be more willing to abandon their cars in favour of buses or trains.

To conclude, it could be said that there is no doubt that the private vehicle is gaining a lot of popularity but if the government takes some steps to encourage public transport then definitely the use of cars could reduce a lot.