Govt to lure IT, BT staff to use buses

Govt to lure IT, BT staff to use buses


ENS
02 Oct 2008 10:52:00 AM IST

BANGALORE: In an effort to discourage the use of private vehicles by IT and BT sectors to reduce traffic congestion, the transport department has decided to convene a meeting with heads of various companies.

Transport Minister R Ashok told reporters on Wednesday that he had already initiated the process by writing letters to a few companies to encourage mass transport system.

“We are ready to provide Volvo bus services to these companies according to their needs,” he said.

“A few companies have shown interest in availing our services. But a lot of other

companies are yet to respond,” he said, adding that a meeting with the chiefs of IT, BT companies and MNCs would soon be

convened to persuade them to use mass transport.

The BMTC is already operating similar services by entering into pacts with public sector undertakings like HAL, BEL, BHEL and even at the Bengaluru International Airport Limited premises, among others.

Owning 2 or more cars to be dearer

The government is mulling the idea of imposing an incremental tax slab system on people owning more than one car, to check the ever-increasing traffic density in the City. Under the proposed taxation system, the first car will attract a normal tax slab fixed by the government, while owning a second, third and more cars would attract higher slabs of road and other taxes. An opinion from the law department would be sought, before moving ahead with the proposal, he added.