Nano, People’s car, will significantly add to the traffic congestion, at least in metros & major cities which are already suffering from congested roads & parking woes. With so many additional cars on the road, there is bound to be considerably enhanced traffic congestion & idling of engines during traffic which will add to the environmental pollution despite the fuel efficiency norms in the car.

Considering that crude oil prices have already crossed $100 a barrel mark, this will further add to the import bill. Above all, if the driving habits in India & relatively lax enforcement of traffic laws are any indication, the number of accidents on roads could go up. While celebrating this landmark development in Indian manufacturing industry, it is important that everybody concerned - the government, the industry & the people - carefully plan for a situation when there will be another half-a-million additional cars on Indian roads. We need to construct more roads, bypasses, flyovers, parking slots including multi-storeyed & bring in traffic engineering norms incorporated more effectively, better signages & signals, road infrastructure & stricter enforcement of traffic laws & safe driving habits.

With the vision & drive of Ratan Tata & people of his ilk,” We can do it” too. It would be a pity if he were to stop here & say. ” This is the biggest thing I have ever done” & talk of retirement. Having raised the expectations of people with his dreams “People’s car”, it is important that people like him (incidentlly Ratan Tata is also the Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council) now take up the challange for preparing the country to absorb it. Otherwise, a situation may come when people will have to even buy a permit to own a car, like in a few other countries.