Team-BHP > The Indian Car Scene


Reply
  Search this Thread
11,164 views
Old 6th November 2015, 22:18   #16
BHPian
 
Carpainter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Kolkata
Posts: 686
Thanked: 1,149 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

This may be a good step for the government but not for public in general. This topic has lots of avenues to debate on but I just want to say one thing. Think what would happen if all the people travelling in their own cars/bikes abandon their cars and go on to avail public transport at once. Does the city have enough infrastructure to carry this load. I don't live in Delhi but from whatever little experience I have, public transport in almost all the cities in India are normally over crowded. So if you want to add more crowd to it, it should have the capacity take the load. Otherwise the whole policy is a fail. I know this would never happen but just saying.
Carpainter is offline  
Old 6th November 2015, 22:28   #17
BHPian
 
ShaileshHinge's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Navi Mumbai
Posts: 192
Thanked: 171 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

More than agree !

I stay in Mumbai and I think it has one of the best public transports in India. But its over crowded. If i get a average comfortable ride to office ( even if i have to wait for 10 mins), i will take it. But given the current condition where you cant even get into a train or bus without risking your life i continue to ply by personal car.

Public transport has to be improved and available for general public to use before introducing such taxes.

The infrastructure would crash if all of us leave our cars home and attempt to use the public transport.
ShaileshHinge is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 6th November 2015, 22:35   #18
Distinguished - BHPian
 
drmohitg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Liverpool/Delhi
Posts: 5,439
Thanked: 7,539 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

We already have a variety of taxes on the vehicles and the fuel. I don't see any decrease in the number of vehicles on the road though. So adding few more taxes with whatever fancy names that they want to call it by, is not going to change anything.

What we need is more roads and more policeman. Otherwise they can keep dreaming of a greener city but it ain't gonna happen. The perfect example is Delhi-Gurgaon expressway. Needless traffic since they allow or let people specially Taxi drivers to stop at the start of every expressway and in front of every IT block to ferry people. And this causes a disturbance in the linear flow of traffic and hence the chaos every day.
drmohitg is offline  
Old 7th November 2015, 09:56   #19
BHPian
 
Turbo Head's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 322
Thanked: 215 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Imposing new taxes every now and then and not providing any infrastructure and improvement has become consistent now. Particularly talking about NH8 and Gurgaon, the infrastructure is the worst one can imagine and toll booths have no end, vehicles struggle to move inches and yet one has to shell out on account of toll taxes.

Well if you are comfortably used to it and that doesn't hurt, I am sure, this surely will :
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/...w/49692169.cms

Last edited by GTO : 9th November 2015 at 11:32. Reason: Typos
Turbo Head is offline   Received Infraction
Old 7th November 2015, 10:46   #20
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Delhi
Posts: 8,037
Thanked: 49,774 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

From what I have seen and read about congestion charges, it mid to long term effect is limited. There have been several cases studies on London and Stockholm and I have and still visit both cities frequently over the last decades.

When introducing the congestion charges there is always a noticeable dip in the traffic and subsequent congestion. But it start building up after that again. People get used to paying it, over time more people are willing to pay for it etc. It seems at best it initially reduces the congestion somewhat and after that it ensures to some extent the congestion doesn’t grow as rapidly as it would have done without congestion charge.

So it is by no means a solution.

As suggested, good, clean, cheap, well functioning, public transport in combination with congestion charges is likely to have a much bigger effect.

Jeroen
Jeroen is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 7th November 2015, 11:04   #21
Newbie
 
SMindia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 25
Thanked: 14 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

I think congestion tax is a good idea, but only if implemented well. The idea has been well implemented in Singapore and other cities.

A robust, safe and comfortable public transportation system is required to gain the benefits in addition to congestion tax. If you would want to discourage use of private vehicles, a good alternative must be provided , and just burdening the common man with more taxes will not help.

The government has a long history of experimenting and implementing things in a wrong way, and then scrapping the thing altogether. For example, a wonderful thing like BRT (which would ,make public transport very fast), was implemented poorly in Delhi. There were so many issues, that it had to be scrapped altogether.
SMindia is offline  
Old 7th November 2015, 11:08   #22
BHPian
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Pothole Town
Posts: 518
Thanked: 356 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Quote:
Originally Posted by i74js View Post
All roads lead to Rome and all ideas in India lead to collection of more money from public.

- There is no description of what has been studied about the public infrastructure in Stockholm and how the best practices adopted there can be replicated in India / Delhi.

The sum and substance - "Please collect money" !
You nailed it perfectly. We Indians have the best governors in the world, in as much as all are experts in finding a reason, and ways to levy taxes.

Whether congestion can be reduced by levying a tax? Is this is a one time tax? People shall pay the tax and yet use cars!

When a manufacturer is allowed to manufacture cars. When direct and indirect taxes, duties are collected on each stage of the manufacture of cars. When taxes are collected on sale and also on purchase of cars. When taxes are collected on allowing the cars to run on roads. When fees are collected from cars for using the roads, why would one want to impose a Congestion tax for curbing the use of cars?
Swapnil4585 is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 7th November 2015, 14:33   #23
Newbie
 
SMindia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 25
Thanked: 14 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Delhi also needs a pollution tax. There are so many vehicles running on adulterated fuel, throwing out black fumes in the city.

Congestion tax would be only during peak congested hours I presume. So it would be like 'public transport for office, private transport for leisure trips'.

The faster the government acts , the better it would be. The complexity of the problem is very large.
SMindia is offline  
Old 7th November 2015, 14:49   #24
Distinguished - BHPian
 
drmohitg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Liverpool/Delhi
Posts: 5,439
Thanked: 7,539 Times

With the ever rising population of the NCR region, no number or scale of public transportation will be good enough. The Metro is such a flawless service and they have regularly updated but the frequency and number of coaches on every route. Yet it is a tortuous experience to travel via it if you are crossing the central Delhi stations which you invariably need to. And that doesn't mean that the already running large number of Buses are any less crowded. I think the first and foremost need is to limit the influx of people into the city, which is ofcourse easier said than done.
drmohitg is offline  
Old 7th November 2015, 14:56   #25
Newbie
 
SMindia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 25
Thanked: 14 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Quote:
Originally Posted by drmohitg View Post
I think the first and foremost need is to limit the influx of people into the city, which is of course easier said than done.
Limiting influx of people into any city is an ideal scenario we wish for, but not a practical solution. At least not in a free country like India. Only with the coming up of new cities and towns that offer good opportunities, infrastructure and a variety of lifestyle choice to the people, will this migration to cities decrease. Such a thing needs policy interventions on a regional scale , and not much can be done at the city level.
SMindia is offline   (2) Thanks
Old 7th November 2015, 17:10   #26
BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 218
Thanked: 643 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Delhi has one of the best public transportation facilities in India. I've been a regular use of Delhi Metro from Hauz Khas to Noida Sector 18 for 6 months. It is a very economical and sensible way to commute rather than keep being lazy and growing fat travelling in a 2/4 wheeler.

DMRC is currently executing Phase3 which will expand Metro connectivity further. I'm not sure about the impact of Congestion tax will be positive - but can say that public transportation in Delhi is becoming better in few aspects, every year.

Last edited by vinodvayyat : 7th November 2015 at 17:14.
vinodvayyat is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 7th November 2015, 23:37   #27
BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: KA03
Posts: 809
Thanked: 2,850 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Quote:
Originally Posted by vinodvayyat View Post
Delhi has one of the best public transportation facilities in India. I've been a regular use of Delhi Metro from Hauz Khas to Noida Sector 18 for 6 months. It is a very economical and sensible way to commute rather than keep being lazy and growing fat travelling in a 2/4 wheeler.

DMRC is currently executing Phase3 which will expand Metro connectivity further. I'm not sure about the impact of Congestion tax will be positive - but can say that public transportation in Delhi is becoming better in few aspects, every year.
I think you meant Metro. Public transport is not very good otherwise.
mvadg is offline  
Old 8th November 2015, 00:04   #28
BHPian
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Delhi
Posts: 49
Thanked: 27 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

If there is a move afoot to de-incentivise driving in areas of the city that are truly congested, as a Delhi dweller, I will support it on following conditions:

1. There is a transparent and objective criteria to identify such areas. And ALL areas falling in this category are charged for congestion.

2. Public parking are made available outside of the limits of these zones so that people can mix private-public transportation modes.

3. Public transport is made genuinely available and usable in these areas.

4. Revenue generated out of the decongestion charge is dedicatedly used for provision of public transport in the city.
itinerant is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 8th November 2015, 00:18   #29
Newbie
 
SMindia's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 25
Thanked: 14 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Quote:
Originally Posted by mvadg View Post
I think you meant Metro. Public transport is not very good otherwise.
Yes , Only after the Metro has come, we can say Delhi has some public transportation. The new busses also have made some difference !
The era of Blue lines was the worst.

Yet, Mumbai and Kolkata have very robust networks of public transport running north to south. Para transit is also good with shared autos that offer last mile connectivity.
Among many things, the city form also plays a part. Mumbai and Kolkata are sort of linear whereas Delhi has a radial form.
SMindia is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 8th November 2015, 12:39   #30
BHPian
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Bangalore
Posts: 218
Thanked: 643 Times
Re: Delhi government mulls congestion tax on private vehicles

Quote:
Originally Posted by mvadg View Post
I think you meant Metro. Public transport is not very good otherwise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SMindia View Post
Yes , Only after the Metro has come, we can say Delhi has some public transportation. The new busses also have made some difference !
The era of Blue lines was the worst.
Yes - I agree. I intended to convey that Metro is very good, probably the best in India. Connectivity to peripheral NCR has improved commendably. Blue line buses are the worst.
vinodvayyat is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks