TATA is all set to create history (and a whole new market) by introducing Mint (that is what it was originally called), the 1 lakh car in the upcoming edition oh the Delhi Auto Expo in January 2008. Must I admit, the prospect of owning a car, and that too at such a low cost, is too enticing. While the features and standards adopted for this car are doggedly kept under wraps, it stands a very good chance to forever alter the dynamics of the Indian auto industry.
And that is what terrifies me…
I’m scared to think of the prospects when the Mint, as cool as ever, is lapped up in thousands, or maybe even lakhs, by urban and semi urban (and a lot of rural) India alike. It is natural to expect that several of these new age car owners will chuck hanging out of local trains and buses to opt for a comfortable drive to work on our already log-jammed roads.
What this will do to the environment could well be what nightmares are made of…
Imagine having thousands and thousands of more cars on the already choked roads of Indian cities. Imagine what it would do to the ambient air quality… Imagine what it will do to Carbon Dioxide emissions…People might one day need oxygen masks to step outside their homes.
The prospects look bleak, and they are not entirely impossible.
We need to prevent that. How will we? Or more importantly, will we? Time is running out…
The wheels of doom are going to begin rolling very soon…
P.S: Neeraj – it’s nothing but your status based snobbery that TATA is going to cater to. Guys, check out ‘Batti Bandh’ his amazing post on the social aspects of global warming @ Mind Chow.
3 comments:
Few things you forgot.
Car ownership is heavily subsidized in India. We really don't pay too much for the roads we drive on, or the parking space we take for granted at public places. As the number of cars keep rising, this may change.
Imagine any tier2 town in India. Already reeling under the traffic chaos created by new malls and multiplexes. Most towns, cities will find it difficult to raise resources to widen roads to accomodate cars. City corporations will be very happy to milk the opportunity to collect congestion tax. So your low cost car, may not really stay "low cost".
Moreover, it also remains to be seen whether the TATA car actually is a runaway hit as its being touted. We've all heard about the neat price tag on it, but like any other business, you cannot bank only on one aspect of your product to be a hit.
The build quality, ruggedness on Indian roads, design quality, and most importantly, the ability of the company to provide after-sales service on such a mammoth scale are unknown factors right now. Take any of these out of the equation, and you can have a product falling flat!
To sum up, the future isn't as dark as is being projected. Perhaps, the hard-nosed Indian masses, might actually reject the car for being too "for the masses". Who knows? :P
Note: I am not wishing/hoping failure for the 1lakh car. Even if it succeeds, I have confidence in Indian ingenuity to tackle the altered circumstances.
It would really be a nightmare to see what the TATA's one lakh car would bring with it!Though on one hand it would be a dream come true for many people,since it will no longer be difficult to own a vehicle but on the other it would deteriorate the already hopeless condition our roads and traffic exist in.But then we have no option but to wait and watch whether our nightmare actually turns out to be true.
Nice blog Vinay!
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