There is also another, more sinister reason:
Since a major, major depopulation initiative is in the cards (per Agenda 21 or 30 not sure which), it will be much easier and expedient to round up as many millions as possible into one manageable area.
Picture thousands of high rise buildings right next to each other each holding ten thousand+ people per building in every major city around the world, and you can see how a few billion can be exterminated in a relatively short time and relatively easy.
One other way I’ve read they will try to get people out of the rural areas is stop doing any maintenance on the roads or any infrastructure, rendering it all eventually unusable for any travel - to the store, to the doctor, to the hospital, to the gas station. Even the water supply will probably be cut as well.
Only the very wealthy can afford to own personal cars in NYC. Nowhere to park. Parking fees would break any normal income person in a city where $2500 rents a small studio. It would be more cost effective to own a motorcycle one could take up the elevator to ones loft, apartment, or studio.