[itsashishsharma]

Originally Posted by vinodvayyat

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.

The Delhi Metro is rated one of the best in the world. In many aspects, its world's second best too. I don't remember more fun facts, sorry to go off topic.

[drive2eternity]

Another Noble Idea. Its quite common in India to find the Government come up with ideas which do not directly solve an issue. Unless the future cities are planned in such a way that there is no convergence of people to a common location for work, and a public transport system to support it, this situation will never end.

London has done this and done it really well. There are even different zones within London based on congestion tax rates. But then, they had the infrastructure to implement it and the police to enforce it. Do we have either?

[akshat15]

This move will hardly bring any difference, increase in tax will not deter potential buyers from buying snazzy cars. With ease of availability of loans, it's no big deal. Public transport on the other hand is and always was scarce in the city. We should learn from countries like Singapore where the liberty to own a private vehicle is Auctioned by the Government and people end up paying more for this than the car's ex showroom cost. Ironically, their public transport remains unused.

[Ntmehau]

According to me, Delhi has the required public transport and infrastructure. It is just that there is less transparency and more of conning.

The government (or maybe some people forming a group) should put up a fixed bus route for everyone to see.
Sure, there is one, but can you think of using it if you want to visit your friend's home?
The buses should have a certain time while covering a route and they should try not to move in clusters! You stand at a bus stand and observe- no buses for 15 minutes. And just as you are ready to give up all hope, there comes a whole line of the low floor buses from each crook and corner of Delhi.

The Delhi Metro, according to me, is undoubtedly a really good public transport. It pierces through the whole city and makes transport cheaper and sometimes faster. You are atleast stress free. Sure, it is overcrowded during peak hours, then why to travel at that time? Leave 20 minutes before! It makes a huge difference!
And yeah! Try to find some empty space in the metro itself. People are too lazy to move around. The last two coaches of the 8 is relatively very less crowded. The connections between the coaches are also an isolated(somewhat) spot!

The phatphatiyas or the tempos are also some good last mile commuters! It is just that people are completely clueless on how to use them- where do they go, where to catch them. If there is a way to get knowledge about these provisions, then it would make the commute very friendly!

[sgiitk]

I will like to see how much of the tax collected will be used for the purpose. Namely road development/improvement to reduce the congestion. How many of the taxes incl Road Tax we pay vanish into the Consolidated Fund of India - a black hole. I understand Road Tax has to be used for Road Development Only.

[Car-go-man]

I welcome the intention of the proposal, but a lot rests on the execution of the same.

Metros in India badly need solution for the congestion problem. Several options have been discussed and debated though in each option when people weigh the PROS and CONS, the CONS seem to outweigh the PROS-
1. Congestion tax
2. Car pooling
3. Public transport
4. Company provided transport (when available)
5. etc

When evaluating the PROS and CONS, we should keep in mind the long term benefits of some CONS that may seem painful now. Yes, public transport is nowhere as comfortable, convenient as well as time-saving as your car/bike does, BUT that convenience does come at a cost, doesn't it? God forbid, imagine yourself in an ambulance during an emergency and stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and you see around several XUVs, Innovas, Citys etc. with a sole commuter, what would your reaction be?

[spoth001]

Delhi is an amazing city. NCR region is fast developing and so is its infrastructure. They are Well connected by wide roads and metros.

However something peculiar to note is that there are more people using cars even though a metro line is very accessible. I heard metros often are avoided by locals as they prefer luxury !! This was the feedback given by my ex-colleague who is from NCR region. They believe cars are more of a status symbol than necessity. I said to myself what a pity !!

Nevertheless I strongly believe in congestion tax as motorists are directly responsible for congestion on roads.

Not last but least, I wish Mumbai is connected with Metros all over.

[Bh.P]

I believe this is a move in the right direction.

For a country as populous as ours, discouraging private transport and a shift towards public transport is probably the only long term solution. All else (widening roads, fly overs etc etc are short term, which works only till more people buy more vehicles).

That said, the public transport infrastructure should be spruced up, especially the last mile connectivity. Providing a world class metro is of no use until they ensure people can reach the station from their houses with ease.

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by asingh1977

people driving like morons. "Straight line" driving will solve most of Delhi's problems. Not a punitive tax.

Cannot agree more! Anyone who (or anything which) obstructs the 'flow' of traffic should be seen as an offender. We urgently need driving etiquette if we have any hopes of being a 'Developed Nation', as it is the policies of such Nations which seem to inspire our Government to embrace thus.

Strict enforcement of No Parking and No Stopping targeting Smart Alec drivers plonked on the driver's seat who choose to stop (idling or otherwise) where they are not supposed to . Target and fine the offenders first and do this Pan India and not just Delhi!

[vinodvayyat]

Originally Posted by Ntmehau

The Delhi Metro, according to me, is undoubtedly a really good public transport. It pierces through the whole city and makes transport cheaper and sometimes faster. You are atleast stress free. Sure, it is overcrowded during peak hours, then why to travel at that time? Leave 20 minutes before! It makes a huge difference!
And yeah! Try to find some empty space in the metro itself. People are too lazy to move around. The last two coaches of the 8 is relatively very less crowded. The connections between the coaches are also an isolated(somewhat) spot!

Agree fully. I myself had been doing these tricks very often at the times I had used Delhi Metro. Will always prefer last coach anytime. At the moment, DMRC is managing things at its best - During peak hours they operate one train per every 3-5 mins.

Originally Posted by spoth001

I heard metros often are avoided by locals as they prefer luxury !! This was the feedback given by my ex-colleague who is from NCR region. They believe cars are more of a status symbol than necessity. I said to myself what a pity !!

Indeed they might feel it as a luxury - just that I see most of them as glorified taxi drivers.

And news like these will go unnoticed I believe! - http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle7791044.ece.
In Bangalore, the govt doesn't even care whether cyclists exist or not. We in Bangalore, pay highest amounts of road tax and what we get in return are roads that get damaged within one month of new layer of asphalting!

[TechNomad]

I travel from Gurgaon to Noida every day for work , totalling 100+ km both ways. And the travel is through the city of Delhi in busy roads . I think the Delhi government needs to deploy whatever means they can to discourage commercial vehicles to use and congest city roads during day and night. So ina way , this tax is welcome !!

I don't think this tax is towards private motorists like most of us are, rather , it should discourage commercial transporters to use delhi roads. Maybe there are more effective ways the government can consider , for example , stop the trucks outside Delhi check-posts and divert them. In any case , a congestion tax makes sense to lessen commercial vehicles using Delhi roads.

These vehicles are a major reason for air pollution in Delhi as well. So the less of them in Delhi roads , the better.

[drmohitg]

BTW has anyone calculated if the cost of bypassing Delhi on way to your destination, comes out to be less than this congestion tax being imposed? Because otherwise the truckers still might find it feasible to drive through the city, paying the additional tax, rather than taking an alternative route.

[lapis_lazuli]

Little OT, for the commercial trucks and the green tax: What nobody from, or outside the government/agencies, seems to be highlighting is, the fact that this will be an excuse for price hikes in perishables, retail and other items, citing increased transport costs! While we have not really seen a downward with reduced fuel prices, this tax is just another idea fed to the fertile minds of the mandi agents!