[longhorn]

Hope the Govt will allow a setoff against this tax for the damage caused to the car's suspension due to the roads or rather lack of it. About 40 % of a car's cost comes from taxes. We pay service tax on insurance every year. We pay toll for roads over and above LTT. We pay taxes and road development cess on every drop of fuel we purchase. Dear Govt - Is it asking too much to provide us decent roads after paying so much in taxes?

[ACM]

My views:

1) This won't happen in India for a very long while. It is too complex and we are just not capable of managing this.

2) If it did happen then it would be great. I do not mind paying extra to get to drive on relatively traffic free roads.

3) Public transport in Mumbai is expected to improve significantly in the next 1-3 years with the Monorail, Metro starting off. The Roads too will get better with the Easterfreeway and the Santacruz Chembur link road coming up. But that is Mumbai and the level of change would not be similar in all cities in India so where this can be implemented and where it is required will have to be seen.

4) If the Traffic police managed to pull up their socks and stop taking haftas and move the trucks and other vehicles parked illegally on sides of LBS Marg, and SV road in Mumbai and remove the pavement encrocements in others parts and enforce the use of the elevated Skywalks that have been built then none of this would be required and we would automatically get upto 40% extra road space rightaway at almost no cost.

[bijuiser]

This won't do any public welfare unless there are enough alternative modes of transport and are underutilized. We all know how overcrowded the Local Trains and Buses are today.

[iceman7]

Originally Posted by ACM

4) If the Traffic police managed to pull up their socks and stop taking haftas and move the trucks and other vehicles parked illegally on sides of LBS Marg, and SV road in Mumbai and remove the pavement encrocements in others parts and enforce the use of the elevated Skywalks that have been built then none of this would be required and we would automatically get upto 40% extra road space rightaway at almost no cost.

You nailed it buddy!! There are multiple claimants to our roads - Cars, Jaywalkers, Hawkers, Parked trucks, et al.

[scopriobharath]

India is really becoming a Mafia Raaj. The only thing pending taxation is Air for breathing.

I am pretty sure this rule would be implemented way before improving infrastructure. What should one do if someone's office time is in peak hour. I am sure salaries would not go up if this tax is implemented

I dont think of any enforcement method for peak hour charges. This would lead to corruption only. Govt might consider including a tax say 2% of the OTR Price of a vehicle as "congestion charges" similar to what they have for airports .

This would have a cascading effect on Private Taxis (per km rates would go up).

[Santoshbhat]

Originally Posted by KiloAlpha

I was having fun thinking about the implementation of congestion charging in Bangalore. During peak hours, all roads in this city are choked.

Absolutely true. Implementation of such proposals is next to impossible. The need of the hour is better infrastructure and better enforcement of traffic rules, rather than charging additional tax from the poor Bangalore motorist who already pays the highest price for fuel, and the highest road tax when compared to the rest of the country.

[sa_kiran]

Originally Posted by longhorn

Hope the Govt will allow a setoff against this tax for the damage caused to the car's suspension due to the roads or rather lack of it. About 40 % of a car's cost comes from taxes. We pay service tax on insurance every year. We pay toll for roads over and above LTT. We pay taxes and road development cess on every drop of fuel we purchase. Dear Govt - Is it asking too much to provide us decent roads after paying so much in taxes?

We pay taxes for the fuel that we use. What do we get in return? Adulterated fuel that spoils engines.

[pgsagar]

Govt cares a hoot about congestion and environment. It's sole purpose is to milk its citizens for all their worth by imposing newer taxes and by hiking existing ones. And for this, now they have started globe-trotting to find new avenues. Why don't they first build infrastructure like London tube first?

[methecupid]

I don't know how many of us have noticed this, but during peak hours the traffic snarls happen on only one side of the rosd. Whereas the other side for oncoming traffic remains relatively free. This tells me one thing - that everyone is moving towards one direction.

I have advocated this option earlier to a lot of my colleagues and friends but I sincerely believe that the best way to decongest office travel traffic is to scatter the businesses areas. But staying in Mumbai why would a company relocate from a South Mumbai address or BKC or Andheri? If the UD or Government can come with considerable tax breaks and sops for companies relocating their facilities to say Navi Mumbai or Thane or a new SEZ, this may trigger spurring developments in various other areas than just a select few. People then start moving in both directions and hence help optimum utilization of the already available infrastructure.

Just thinking out aloud!

[babu.sundaram]

Good idea! Hopefully the congestion does indeed come down with this! (BTW, I see it as extension of other things; for e.g. low price cabs may not be available at peak time forcing to use a costlier option or sky high auto fares at peak hours). So, if it does reduce the commute time reasonably, why not?

That said, I strongly doubt the implementation. So far, India hasn't been able to push even anti-theft number plates. How would a country of such record implement something of this kind!

(It would be pathetic if Govt sets up toll booths to enter CBDs!).

[zwift1819]

This maybe a welcome thing but the automatic number plate recognition camera may take years to come into force in india. More than this I would suggest them to first install automatic toll collection cameras at Toll roads where it is still manned by humans which causes delays in traffic movement. The whole world is going computerized in all these aspects but India still lags behind in all these things!

[infotech58]

How about introducing reversible lanes? It is used in many cities across the world to ease out the rush hour traffic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reversible_lane

Originally Posted by methecupid

I don't know how many of us have noticed this, but during peak hours the traffic snarls happen on only one side of the rosd. Whereas the other side for oncoming traffic remains relatively free. This tells me one thing - that everyone is moving towards one direction.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by infotech58

How about introducing reversible lanes? It is used in many cities across the world to ease out the rush hour traffic.

Its already there in India (atleast in Mumbai). To believe it try the Mulund toll in the evening to enter Thane and you will understand what I mean. The opposite toll lanes are used to cater to the traffic build up invariably during the shift change.

[infotech58]

, When I was typing my post, I exactly thought about Mulund Toll, but that temporary arrangement is only for 100-150 meters and mostly these kind of fixes create more traffic pile up when people try to merge back to main traffic lanes.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Its already there in India (atleast in Mumbai). To believe it try the Mulund toll in the evening to enter Thane and you will understand what I mean. The opposite toll lanes are used to cater to the traffic build up invariably during the shift change.

[HammerHead]

Modelled on similar rules in London and Singapore, the ministry is considering introducing these charges in a bid to de-congest some of the busiest central business areas across cities

I feel most of our Govt. policies are scams and driven for 'self' or 'someones' profit!

Its simple, if yo can't provide facilities/alternatives these countries provide then don't even think of their rules to regulate 'junta'.

Look at these 'scams'

• Ban on plastic carry bags. No alternative made available.
• Areas marked as 'No Parking' while no one bothers to provide legal parking space!
• Helmets made compulsory! C'mon its my life I'm playing with

And this list goes on!!

Can Govt. provide us better roads to drive? Can they work on providing us feasible alternative to personal transport?