Driving in India to become slower, more frustrating crawl?

NEW DELHI: As major auto makers are eyeing Indian roads for launching their range of small cars and high-end bikes, a disturbing question is baffling many -- will the nightmarish traffic situation in metros like Delhi and Mumbai provide them the space?

At the 2010 auto expo here, big players like Toyota, Honda and Volkswagen introduced their version of small cars following the footprints of Tata's Nano, while brands like Harley Davidson, Ducati and Royal Enfield have showcased their superbikes.

Encouraged by the rebounding economy, auto makers are trying to lure consumers with their latest vehicles, but World Bank figures say that journey speeds in Indian cities even on the highways are frustratingly slow at about 50 km an hour in a car and 35-40 km for buses and trucks.

"The auto expo's slogan is 'mobility for all' but the increase in cars and bikes in the country with limited infrastructure could turn driving into an even slower and more frustrating crawl," says Suryanarayan Bakhshi, who commutes 35 km every day from his home in south Delhi to Faridabad, where he works in an MNC.

It takes Bakhshi over an hour even when he uses a brand new expressway and the idea of more cars and bikes adding to the tailbacks only leaves him dread.

According to a World Bank report, "Traffic in Indian cities has grown by 15 per cent a year for the last decade."