Explained: What Is Congestion Tax, Which Bengaluru May Soon Impose To Reduce Traffic

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.'

What Is Congestion Tax?

bangaloremirror

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.

Which Places Are Likely To Get Congestion Tax Imposed?

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.

Also Read: This Bengaluru CEO Thinks The City Needs A Massive Recession To Fix The Traffic

How Will Congestion Tax Be Collected?

PTI

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.

Also Read: Buying Property In Bengaluru Is Set To Get Costlier From October 1

How Are People Reacting To The Congestion Tax Proposal?

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.

ccleasing

? this is laughable. Might as well collect congestion tax for all of Bangalore!

New way to increase revenues of state without any cost to state.

Logically congestion tax shd be levied only if alternate means of transport are available & abundant.

This will end up in courts.

¡ª Shriram Subramanian (@reachShriram) October 3, 2023

We are not yet ready for congestion tax. You need functioning metros on all major routes and frequent bus services. Along with that you need dedicated bus and cycling lanes.

¡ª Citizens Movement, East Bengaluru (@east_bengaluru) October 3, 2023

It's quite ironic, isn't it? On one hand, people are buying new cars, and the automobile industry is booming. On the flip side, we're dealing with increasingly heavy traffic and congestion. It's a frustrating dilemma.

¡ª Shubham Jain (@Shubham_2806) October 3, 2023

All above make massive jab and always ignored

¡ª Vaarush Singh l ????? ???? (@SinghVaarush) October 3, 2023

Wow! Mindblown with their out-of-box thinking.

If we can't provide them better infra, let's start taxing them on creating congestion.

Quick question: Congestion comes in which GST tax slab?

¡ª Amrish (@CodenameBazinga) October 4, 2023

Public transport in Bangalore is the best with BMTC METRO and private TAXI AUTO and Company Cab.

What else we need as public transportation? Flying car ?

Use public transportation for work-home commute than finding reasons for not to.

¡ª Shri Balaji Muniraju. (@balajimcat25) October 3, 2023

Good, best solution to traffic jams is to tax people if they want to travel across town. ??

¡ª Suhas Baliga (@suhasbaliga) October 3, 2023

Congestion tax can be collected on the spot using the hawkers and beggars who take over at every signal junction ??

¡ª Tiger Ramesh (@TigeRamesh) October 3, 2023

What Are The Experts Saying About The Tax Proposal?

¡°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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