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 Yes, perhaps, there is a legitimate feeling that picking on the Nano while not criticizing other cars may look unfair. But comments are free, sfacts are sacred!

Consider this, CRISIL reports that Tata Nano will be solely responsible for increasing the market for cars by 65%. It is like how cheap semiconductors increased the number of personal computers in the market.

Except, nobody complained about road space for computers, but scarcity of roadspace is so evident in Namma Bengaluru!

Nano will be a disaster for Bangalore. All the efforts that we have put so far into BMTC, BTRAC even Metro and Mono will go down the drain even if 10% of our two-wheeler population shift to a Tata Nano.

There should be a ban on Tata Nano from Bangalore roads.

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If Nano is used to replace autos (by law if necessary, atleast in CBD and arterial roads), the outcome could be positive.

Hopefully Nano will be better than autos in:
- Emission standards
- Engine power : Resulting in faster moving traffic overall, indirectly increasing available road space and producing less pollution
- Disciplined driving : Drivers might start using indicators and look at mirrors before changing lane etc..
- Better safety and comfort for passengers

And at least in cities, who would want to buy Nano as a personal vehicle when it is commonly seen as an auto :-) (Nano will go the Indica way in that case)

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MC,

Bangalore is not the only city where the Nano will be sold.   It will be spread all over India with even the smaller towns in the fray.I think the Tatas will start with about 50000 cars annual production and ramp it up.  Some of these are also meant for exports.  Bangalore's two wheeler population at 4 million?  The last I read (1 month back) it was  2 million.  I think you need to provide some back up.  Else the facts won't be that sacred :).

India currently manufactures about 1 million cars annually.  Nano will be about 5% of that to start with and increase possibly at a faster rate than the rest. 

Let's have a thought experiment.  Let's say Bangalore's market share among cars is 10% (we are adding not more than 100,000 cars per year).  To convert 10% of our two wheelers (as of today)  to Nano we need to add 200,000 Nanos cumulatively to Bangalore's roads.  That means somewhere close to 2,000,000 Nanos need to be produced cumulatively.   If we start off at 50,000 production and grow at 20% per year, - to produce a cumulative 2,000,000 cars we need 12 years (sum of a geometric progression formula).  By which time two wheelers would have become 5 million and Nano's share would be 200,000/5,000,000 = 4%.  It is a moving target and Tata's will struggle to catch up.   (At that point they won't be able to even deliver their vehicles to the showroom and customers won't be able to drive them out of the showroom :)).

The other car and two wheeler manufacturers are not exactly producing very constructive things.

Infinite growth is not possible on a finite planet.  We will learn that at our peril soon. 

Srivathsa

 

 

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Hi All,

When Tatas commence churning out the Nano, our motorization levels might quickly reach those in eastern europe or even those of western europe /north america within the span of a few years. This rapid increase will demand very large capital investments into the road system - possibly, much more than those required for all other transport investments (such as Metro, Mono, etc) put together, if so many cars are unleashed on to the streets, within a short span.

This would be a colossal waste. As some have already mentioned, Nano cannot be blamed in isolation. The solution is perhaps, to make the car affordable to everyone, but impose high operating costs on cars that consume road space heavily, as srivathsa has mentioned.

Aspirations of the people to own a car cannot (& should not) be unduly hampered. Limiting usage patterns of cars is the key to manage within the severe constraints of road space.

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Its unfair to pick on nano. If there was a comprehensive private vehicle penalty and adequate complementary PT + Pedestrian facilities we should be on our way

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