[Arjun Reddy]

The Karnataka state Government is contemplating banning of New vehicle registrations for a period of two years.

The Deputy Chief Minister Dr Parmeshwar, who is also in charge of Bangalore City, has recently been quoted in an interview recently.

Also an article in the Indian Express on the pros and cons of the ban.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/citi...op-1891743.amp

A proposal to ban registration of all new vehicles for the next two years has received mixed reactions from the traffic experts and public. This is being considered by Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara, who is also the Bengaluru Development Minister.Traffic expert Ashish Verma, associate professor, transport engineering laboratory, civil engineering department, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), said that though calling for a ban is a good idea, the plan won’t work unless worked out with various other combination of solutions.

“The number of private vehicles is increasing every year by at least 5 per cent, and this is a major source of traffic congestion. But this ban will work only if it is coupled with other steps,” Verma said.
He added that it will be hypocrisy on the government’s part if it continues its elevated corridor project where it is making roads for the use of more vehicles.

Stressing the fact that banning registrations might not be a necessary one, Ashwin Mahesh, civic expert said that for any policy like this one, the government has to think two steps further on how to make it work. “If this ban is implemented then the public will definitely react to the policy. The government should then be ready to handle the after-effects such as registrations done outside the city or state. This will just lead to faster urbanisation of the areas,” he explained.

Looks like we are heading for tough legislations to curb the traffic and environmental issues.

However it remains to be seen as to how this will be handled without proper public transport and other infrastructure required for such a ban.

Apparently a lot of brainstorming is currently underway and a decision will be made shortly.

The good thing is atleast the government is thinking of proactively solving the traffic and pollution levels of Bangalore.

[Sheel]

And what would the automobile dealers do, how would they survive?

The employees at RTO who deal with new registration process, would be paid without a job?

I agree that something needs to be done, but these aspects too need to be looked into as well as others whom I may have missed and other observant BHPians will point out.

[jetsetgo08]

May be a good short term solution before public transport issues are rectified, but may not see daylight, unless the automotive manufacturers fully advocate such rule at the expense of loss of revenue.

On the other hand, the prices of used cars will bloat in case the rule is implemented.

[abhishek46]

Instead of such knee jerk, short sighted decisions, this person should rather look at
- ways to improve urban connectivity (better metro coverage),
- providing incentives for E-Vehicles etc.
- slow down the concentration in Bangalore, and push IT industry towards other cities like for e.g. Mysore.

[BeantownThinker]

That is a very click-baity headline by Times of India. How typical of them.

The DyCM did indeed make that statement, but more as an attention grabber. If one reads the article further, we will understand that he is looking at anything and everything to ease the infrastructure problems Bangalore is facing.

I would urge all to read the article fully.

Don't worry. Nothing as drastic as stopping registration in Bangalore will be done in the near future.

[avisidhu]

When has inability to register a vehicle in one place stopped someone from buying a vehicle? An entire cottage industry of registration using fake documents will come up in tehsils and districts around Bangalore, where governance is lax.

The sheer magnitude of our problems we are facing, is trumped by the illogical and insensitive solutions being propagated

[theredliner]

There is no dearth of jokers in this country coming up with knee jerk reactions.

BTW, this guy gets the entire stretch from Bengaluru to Tumakuru (a major NH) cleared whenever he travels on the road as he doesn't want peasants to be on the road blocking his way. That doesn't cause any traffic issues apparently.

Another funny thing is his son/daughter goes on joy rides in Porsches and other gas guzzlers in the city, but you see, only smelly, low class people like us using our scooters and econoboxes for our livelihood contribute to congestion and pollution.

Whatever it is, the auto lobby is too big to be affected by people like this. They will get it turned upside down in no time.

[OrangeCar]

Let's ban things that we cannot fix.. quintessential mark of an incompetent modern day government.

People of Karnataka have ended up, consecutively, with governments that do not even understand its people's aspirations. "How can people have aspirations?" - humble governments.

Do not forget, a minister of this government, when it was formed, demanded a Fortuner, which was the only car that befitted his stature, not the silly Innova that is generally allotted.

Heck.. even the CM travels in a Range Rover.

But then common people, lets ban them from eating food too.. if they live, they demand work from politicians.

But you know what the best part is, we commoners think we could punish governments! Ha ha.. either the same government in a different costume appears.. or an equally incompetent brand new government appears.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by Arjun Reddy

The Karnataka state Government is contemplating banning of New vehicle registrations for a period of two years.



However it remains to be seen as to how this will be handled without proper public transport and other infrastructure required for such a ban.

They should get to the route cause:
People buy vehicles because they need to commute for work
More people are attracted to migrate to Bangalore because there are more jobs here.
More jobs are because of the newer business that are coming in and the expansion of the existing establishments.
Companies are coming to Bangalore only because the tier 2-3 cities lack infrastructure, talent pool etc.
In a nut shell if they stop encouraging the expansion of Bangalore, instead focus on developing other cities like Mysore, Hubli, Mangalore (other states should engage in similar development in their own states as well).

[shankar.balan]

In a way it makes sense. But it wont fly. Because there is so much money coming in via Road Taxes, that no Government will want to lose that. Also, they wont want to lose their vote banks, because right or wrong a vehicle, two wheeler or four wheeler or any other, in most cases, is an aspirational as well as need / want based purchase, for most people. There is no way this Ban will work out.

The government ought to consider this a wake up call. And finally at long last, they should help the public with better infra and better planning.

But knowing India, most probably, all this will end up as another “pipe dream”....

[dailydriver]

Rest assured that the mandarins at the state finance department will not allow this to happen. They know how foolish a step killing the golden goose will be. Road tax forms a major part of the Government's revenue and Bengaluru no doubt contributes a significant share.

More importantly, whoever thinks that only Bengaluru registered vehicles contribute to the city's pollution is clearly barking up the wrong tree. As D Bhpian hemanth.anand commented in the Bangalore traffic thread, the city is a Karmabhoomi to millions of people from different parts of the state - a majority of whom ply their personal vehicles on the capital's street and will continue doing so. I myself have used a Bagalkot registered bike for ten years and frequently add to the congestion by driving my Chikkamagaluru registered car. If I can't register my next vehicle in Bengaluru, I can legitimately do it at four different places in the state: AND BRING IT TO BENGALURU.

If at all the Government is serious in addressing the issue of vehicular pollution, it must first start setting its own house in order. If all the group B and and above grade officers can let go of their official cars and carpool or use PHS buses, there will be thousands of four wheelers less on the roads, specifically during peak hours. Next, our leaders should stop traveling in cavalcades, besotted by their followers and their tails. And replace their Fortuners, Land Rovers and other trucks with smaller footprint alternatives.

Goes without saying that public transport should be made extensive, affordable and safe - specifically the last mile connectivity.

Bengaluru is blessed with citizens who are enlightened and willing to change. For instance, if the Government can make cycling a safe exercise, people will take it up with enthusiasm.

Governments countrywide must understand that unless corrective measures are initiated through a participatory process rather than via short sighted, seat of the pants, dictatorial dictums, citizens will find ways to circumvent them.

As a related aside, Cubbon Park - the city's green space - has got dust eaters to lessen the effect of pollutants. The Hindu reports:

Horticulture Department is all set to install an air purifier or ‘fine dust eater’ on a trial basis for six months at Cubbon Park.

The air purifier will be installed near the Chamarajendra Wadiyar statue on Thursday, where pulmonologists will speak about the respiratory problems caused by fine particulate matter and dust particles.

According to Mahantesh Murgod, deputy director of Cubbon Park, the 1.5-tonne machine is by a German company, which has agreed to install it free of cost for the trial. “It will be monitored for six months. The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board will be asked to conduct a scientific study at the end of the trial period to ascertain the efficacy of the machine. If it is found to be feasible, the government will take a call on installing more such machines in the city,” he said.

The company will also be providing a machine fitted on the back of a vehicle for a week, to move around the park eating dust.

[rsidd]

What is required (and not just in Bangalore) is good public transport and strong DISINCENTIVES for private vehicles. That means, at a minimum, stiff congestion charges and street parking fees. Parked cars should be charged proportional to the market value of real estate that they occupy for that time. Even if the proportionality constant is 0.01 it will have a huge impact.

Also, the answer cannot be more and more Olas/Ubers. A system where you can get anywhere in the city with bus/train/metro/walk in reasonable time is a must. Part of which must be, the time/cost of driving the same distance must be unreasonable.

[anjan_c2007]

While not commenting on registrations and the ban proposed by the Hon'ble Dy Chief Minister, he must realise that the power to decide the life of a motor vehicle vests with the Central Government and not with the State Government.

The exceptions are court rulings by either the High Court, National Green Tribunal and the Supreme Court, wherein the Article 21 of the Indian Constitution is invoked to override the Sec 59 of the M.V. Act. The Article 21 is about Protection of Life and Personal Liberty, wherein "Right to Life" has now become an integral part of this Article. Referring to the Principle No.1 of Stockholm Declaration of United Nations on Human Environment, 1972, the Supreme Court in some cases has observed that, "right to have living atmosphere congenial to human existence is a right to life. The State has a duty in that behalf and to shed its extravagant, unbridled sovereign power and to forge in its policy to maintain ecological balance and hygienic environment." Hence, if due to older motor vehicles, excessive air pollution, traffic congestion, multiple accidents due to vehicular population and also other factors that affect life or the quality of life are recorded, the court's can intervene and issue appropriate orders in respect of the life of motor vehicles.

Summing up, the state government has no authority to decide on the life of motor vehicles. A competent court will quash such an order by the state government to curtail the life of motor vehicles to 20 years. Its only the Central Government, which is vested with such powers or else a competent court ruling can also be invoked.

Motor Vehicles Act, 1988

Sec 59. Power to fix the age limit of motor vehicle. – (1) The Central Government may, having regard to the public safety, convenience and
objects of this Act, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify the life of a motor vehicle reckoned from the date of its manufacture, after the expiry of
which the motor vehicle shall not be deemed to comply with the requirements of this Act and the Rules made thereunder :
Provided that the Central Government may specify different ages for different classes or different types of motor vehicles.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (1), the Central Government may, having regard to the purpose of a motor vehicle, such as, display or use for the purposes of a demonstration in any exhibition, use for the purposes of technical research or taking part in a vintage car rally, by notification in the Official Gazette, exempt, by a general or special order, subject to such conditions as may be specified in such notification, any class or type of motor vehicle from the operation of sub-section (1) for the purpose to be stated in the notification.
(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 56, no prescribed authority or authorized testing station shall grant a certificate of fitness to a motor vehicle in contravention of the provisions of any notification issued under sub-section (1).
Corresponding Law. – This is a new provision in the 1988 Act.
Objects and Reasons. – Clause 59 seeks to empower the Central Government to specify the life of motor vehicle of any class or type beyond which the vehicle have to be kept-off the roads. It also confers upon the Central Government the power to exempt from the provisions of this clause vintage cars.

[WorkingGuru]

Blatant lies. WHO is he fooling?

Karnataka charges the highest road tax in the country, which sane Govt will stop such huge revenue inflow!

Bangalore's software engineers have bought cars like peanuts, dealers will register cars outside the city & sell (like how Maruti dealers sell Omni). Impossible for the govt to check cars that may be registered with a fake address outside Bangalore.

If he is SO concerned about traffic, why does the Govt want to curtail car-pooling using legal loopholes? Also, why didn't Govt not allow Uber / Ola to start mini-van Taxi service in Bangalore!?

[Sebring]

Most traffic snarls are because of non-existent roads or white topping. Police are also lax in apprehending rule breakers, preferring instead to harass two-wheeler riders with the checks. To control air pollution electric, a 'charging infra' should be created as the Metro will have a negligible impact on the current density. Vehicle sales won't slow down!