Congestion cess on vehicles likely

Congestion cess on vehicles likely
Vijay Times

AFTER beggar cess, education cess and solid waste management cess, the government may soon impose congestion cess on vehicle users.

In a bid to reduce traffic congestion on busy roads, T raffic Engineers Safety T rainers ( TEST) chairman M N Sreehari has sent a proposal to the government, asking it to introduce congestion cess on all vehicle users except those involved with mass transport systems.

T alking to B BV VT T , Srihari said the proposal was the outcome of his visit to neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore, where the congestion tax system had been successful in bringing down the level of congestion in busy commercial areas and central business districts (CBDs).

A team of experts from TEST , headed by M N Srihari, has conducted a feasibility survey in the City to identify the most congested roads.

According to the proposal, the system, which could be introduced in all the vehicles except in mass transportation vehicles, would be backed by the Global Information System (GIS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Each vehicle would be fitted with a small gadget that would receive signals from the satellite. The system would enable the gadget to identify the road on which the vehicle was moving, he explained.

The gadgets would generate bills as and when the vehicles entered those roads on which congestion cess had been implemented.

A vehicle owner will have to buy the gadget which comes with inbuilt receipt generators. They are expected to deposit a sum with the T raffic Police or the T ransport Department for the purpose," he said.

"A letter has been sent along with the survey report to the government, requesting it to implement the scheme. Once the government approves the survey report, it will be implemented. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the T ransport Department and the Secretary of Urban Development Department," he said.

If the congestion cess is introduced, the number of vehicles entering certain roads like M G Road, Brigade Road and other CBD areas unnecessarily can be reduced. This will also encourage the public to opt for the public transportation system, Srihari said.

Roads surveyed

V olume Capacity Ratio (VCR) during peak hours

JC Road 1.81 Hosur 2.62 Airport 2.34 M G Road 1.11 Cubbon 0.92 Nrupatunga 1.94 Old Madras Road 2.06 West of Chord Road 0.74 Museum Road 0.69 Rajaram Mohan Roy 0.80 Residency 1.96 Richmond 2.01 Margosa 1.86 Infantry 1.88 Race Course 2.46 NH 4 near Peenya 2.94 St Marks 2.99 Bull T emple Road 1.36

If the volume capacity ratio is 0.60, it is considered normal level of service.

Over 75 per cent of the roads are congested and have a VCR which is over 1.0. The congestion cess charged will be Re 1 for 0.6 to 0.8 VCR, Rs 1.50 up to 1.0 VCR, Rs 2 up to 1.2 VCR and Rs 2.50 for up to 2.5 VCR. However , when Additional Commissioner of Police (T raffic) M N Reddy was contacted, he said he was not aware of such a proposal.