I mostly use my own vehicle. I spend hours on the road almost every day. And while driving offers freedom, it also comes with its share of problems-traffic, parking stress, rising fuel costs etc. Recently i decided to take a look at the present four wheeler market conditions. It is drifting away from simple, practical cars to bulky SUVs. Taxes on these machines are high. Ethanol blending in fuel is concerning. After all this time on the road, one thing became clear to me : cars are not the solution. As the time passes , the city will become more crowded and this will become evident to more people.
I imagine a future Trivandrum, a few years from now, where clean, well-maintained transportation modes such as buses (AC and non-AC, both public and private) run on time. Not overcrowded. A proper real-time app that shows where the bus is, when it will reach your stop, maybe even lets you book a seat. Add Metro, Uber, Rapido, autos, and taxis into that mix, and vehicle ownership starts to feel optional. We have already seen it happen-people who once drove everywhere now take Uber autos or use Vande Bharat. When transport system becomes predictable and comfortable, even those who can afford their own vehicles choose it.
I know people who love their vehicles, they are very passionate about them. Then there are those who use it for what it does. The government is pushing EVs, ethanol blending in fuel, and road network expansion. Better connectivity, greener alternatives etc. But if public transport becomes superior, a lot of people won’t need to own cars / vehicles at all. That shift will reduce traffic, lower emissions, and free up a lot of space and time.
From a real estate perspective, infrastructure shapes lifestyle. A developed city isn’t one where everyone owns vehicles-but one where everyone, regardless of income, finds public transportation system to be the easiest and most sensible choice. Not because of any societal or moral obligations but due to practical reasons.
Until that day comes, private vehicles are still practical in Trivandrum. But once public transportation system becomes seamless [ with no compromises in comfort or convenience ] - it will be a real upgrade.
