At a time when concerns surrounding the traffic in Bengaluru are going through the roof, an expert committee, in collaboration with the Karnataka government, has proposed a possible way to solve the traffic problems in the city.
The committee has proposed to bring in a congestion tax in Bengaluru to reduce the traffic congestion in the 'Silicon Valley of India.'
A congestion tax is like a fee that drivers have to pay when they enter certain parts of a city, especially during rush hours. This fee is meant to help reduce traffic jams in particular areas.
The proposal for a congestion tax in Bengaluru comes because of a report titled "Karnataka's Decade - Roadmap to a $1 Trillion Economy,"?which has recommended that a congestion charge be levied on all non-exempt vehicles entering the city during peak hours.?The aim is to enhance travel times for buses, cars, and delivery vehicles, while also making commuters more aware of their impact on traffic congestion during rush hours, as per an India Today report.
1. Bellary Road
2. Tumkuru Road
3. Magadi Road
4. Mysore Road
5. Kanakapura Road
6. Bannerghatta Road
7. Hosur Road
8. Old Madras Road
9. Old Airport Road
With an estimated 12 million vehicles entering Bengaluru daily, the introduction of a congestion tax could generate significant revenue for the city, the report said, adding that this revenue could then be reinvested into improving the city's transport infrastructure.
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The FASTag system could be used to collect the congestion tax, according to a TOI report. The authorities could set up checkpoints at important entry points to busy areas and use cameras to take pictures of vehicles as they pass through. Then, the congestion tax can be collected from the vehicle owners as it¡¯s done in case of traffic challans.
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While few netizens are in favour of this tax, which is imposed in world's other cities such as?Singapore, London, and Stockholm,?many Bengaluru residents are criticising the proposal, pointing out that the government should first work to provide basic amenities like proper roads and a good public transport network before imposing a congestion tax on citizens.
¡°Discouraging the use of personal vehicles and parallelly improving infrastructure and services has to be done as an integrated strategy to achieve sustainable mobility solutions. Congestion charge is an important strategy to discourage the use of personal vehicles,¡± said Prof Ashish Verma, convener of the Sustainable Transportation Lab at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), as per The?New Indian Express.
He added that this amount should be pumped back to improve infrastructure and services for sustainable modes. The charges should be implemented simultaneously while improving public transport and walking and cycling infrastructure.
Urban mobility expert Shreya Gadepalli says this is a win-win for all including,?¡°Those willing to pay to get a traffic-free road to reach their destinations. Traffic-free roads also make way for swift bus services, giving those unwilling or unable to pay a reliable alternative,¡± she said.
¡°In London, the number of cars entering the congestion pricing zone dropped by 33 per cent and bus ridership went up by 38 per cent. Singapore managed to keep the average traffic speed on urban roads at 20-30 kmph,¡± she said, adding that it is high time Indian metros--Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad--implement congestion pricing.
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