[Fordmanchau]

Guys, just read this news in the Economic Times. Here is the link
Delhi may soon levy congestion fee on vehicles - The Economic Times
Reproducing the text below.

NEW DELHI: Delhi may soon become the first city in the country to levy congestion charges on vehicles following the recommendation of a special team constituted by the Delhi High Court to address the capital's growing traffic woes. Delhi has almost 70 lakh vehicles, which is more than what the other three metros together have.

Plus, there are 11 lakh vehicles entering the capital everyday from adjoining towns, slowing average speed on its roads to a crawling 12 kmph. The best way to deal with it is to slap a traffic congestion fee on vehicles that will encourage people to use public transport, feels the high-power special task force, constituted by the high court to minimise congestion, reduce pollution and ensure equitable access to all classes of vehicles.

Now I don't think it will be morally right on part of government to add a new tax burden on the shoulder of common man who are already burdened by multiple taxes like service tax, VAT, Surcharges on Tax,etc.
We Indians in the world are probably among the highest taxed country and still our government is always short of money to fund infrastructure and social projects.
Wouldn't it be right on part of Government to first create enough infrastructure planning for 20years ahead, create sufficient and efficient Public transport system(I accept DMRC is a great step in right direction), plan the city infrastructure and layout and most importantly control corruption and then talk about adding a new tax if all this doesn't work.
I know this is just wishful thinking, but aren't many of us feel like we are beeing fleeced till the last penny.
Would appreciate your comments and opinion on this.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Awesome! I for one really appreciate this move. It was due for a long time now. Why only Delhi? I feel, it should be implemented in all Metros and Tier 1 cities that see congestion every single day.

That said, I do agree with you, that firstly, the authorities would need to work on infrastructure first and then, once you have the infra to boast about, start such taxes. The best way to start working towards that is to implement efficient public transport.

[Sugeeta]

It all boils down to the tax payer's money vanishing in the hands of corrupt politicians. Instead of fighting corruption and using the tax payer's money effectively for infrastructural development, the only way out of each and every situation our corrupt governments can think of, is slapping another tax on the common man.

Recover some cash from the Commonwealth Scamsters, get Indian money from Swiss Accounts, penalise the corrupt officials and for heaven's sake, spare us.

Pay additional taxes for roads that cave in under your wheels? for clogged drains that inundate the road with sewage and waste? for deep craters in the roads? for wasting fuel at peak hours in long jams to accomodate some corrupt politicians' motorcade? No way.

Parking is another great facility run in Delhi by car lifters and parking mafia. Parking Attendant "Madam, parking full hai. Aapki gaadi park kar denge. Chaabi chorni padegi hamare paas. 3 ghante ke liye 100 rupay; uske upar 150 rupay". Then pay congestion tax? Why?

If we, working folks don't "congest" (ahem!!) the roads, how else we commute to work where no public transport will take us effectively? As a working woman, do I take a bus from the other end of the city to reach home, at 9.00 pm and face bad characters en route? I would reach home at 11.00 pm at night, if at all. What happens to my family?

Most of us, working class, slog it out to earn our daily bread. At the minimum, we should be assured of a safe passage to and from home. If there are more cars on the road, it is because law and order in Delhi is too poor for people to commute by public transport. People feel safer in their private cars. The normal mantra is : sit, turn on the music, put the car on central locking and drive home, without making eye contact with anyone on the road.

Another reason for us to join Mr. Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption.

Apologies for the outburst, but enough is enough! No more taxes please!!

[fine69]

Originally Posted by Sugeeta

It all boils down to the tax payer's money vanishing in the hands of corrupt politicians. Instead of fighting corruption and using the tax payer's money effectively for infrastructural development, the only way out of each and every situation our corrupt governments can think of, is slapping another tax on the common man....

Apologies for the outburst, but enough is enough! No more taxes please!!

I second everything that you said.

Before the government gets inspired from what is happening in other countries there is a lot of homework to be done. They want women to use public transport in a city like delhi when every second woman is thinking of ways to graduate from this harrowing experience of using public transport to their own personal vehicle.

[shankar.balan]

Safety & Security of citizens, proper roads, proper street lighting, proper, easily available, frequent public transport options etc are priorities too. When are these things going to be addressed?

I am all for the congestion charge, but here in India, it is a bit like putting the cart before the horse. It would appear that all politicians and bureaucrats in India are afflicted with an extreme form of Myopia.

[fine69]

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

Safety & Security of citizens, proper roads, proper street lighting, proper, easily available, frequent public transport options etc are priorities too. When are these things going to be addressed?

Exactly. This selective inspiration isn't a sign of an intelligent government. Fisrt things first!!

Originally Posted by shankar.balan

I am all for the congestion charge, but here in India, it is a bit like putting the cart before the horse. It would appear that all politicians and bureaucrats in India are afflicted with an extreme form of Myopia.

+1

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by Sugeeta

Apologies for the outburst, but enough is enough! No more taxes please!!

Very well said.

We, the working class in India pay high taxes which accounts to 90% of IT collection.

Do we also need to pay tax (congestion charge) to commute to our offices in our private vehicles.?.

Congestion charge was collected by all the domestic airlines till the recent directive came from the supreme court not the penalize the common man for lack of infrastructure.Now we end up paying User development fee at airports.(Rs 375 at Hyderabad)

Only God can save us from these corrupt politicians and bureaucrats.

[Newpunter]

Our government gives crores of tax breaks to the "poor" ICC for organizing the world cup, whereas the people are not poor enough for tax breaks. At this rate, the government would be running out of names for the new taxes :| .

[tsk1979]

This law is unethical unless the following rules are imposed
1. Proper public transport - Do not say metro. It covers a fraction of Delhi, and at peak hours it is over congested.
2. Alternate routes - I do not stay in Delhi. I do not even want to go to Delhi. But due to lack of development of alternate peripheral highways there is no alternate route for people going from Haryana to Rajasthan or UP

Now having taxes is the easy way out. More congestion, congestion tax. More garbage on roads, make a garbage tax. But admin is getting salary to do work. So its high time they implement measures like peripheral expressways. Half of the trucks will vanish from Delhi roads, and ditto for lot of traffic which goes from Noida to Gurgaon, or Faridabad to noida etc.,

Sadly govt will try to go ahead with tax anyways, and the reasons are
1. Most people, even educated people do not have enough sense to use logic. They will support such measures thinking it will be good for environment, and will reduce congestion etc., But what they do not realize that a truck which has to come to Delhi will come to Delhi. It can stop coming to Delhi and you can stop eating vegetables, or you can pay tax and then hold a dharna for expensive vegetables. But normally, thinking of most people stops at one step. Nobody thinks for the correct way. The essense of Jugaad is built into the mindset and govt knows that
2. Its easy. Taxing, that is. What about the toll booths. How long a line it would be, What of the air pollution caused by idling vehicles at toll booths? On one hand you want cleaner engines, on the other hand you are forcing vehicles to burn double the fuel. Penny wise pound foolish?

A correct way would be to provide alternate bypass expressways. The Supreme court has already told the govt to implement them. But its easy to sit on such things shifting blame from one department to other.
In conjunction with that govt has to provide adequate public transport which is functional, not something which involves 300 people in a coach designed for 50 people, and trains which cannot leave the station because 20 people are hanging on the door.
If they provide that, they can even ban vehicles, not just tax them, from the congested areas.

However, this tax thing is simply going to make long lines and push up inflation.

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

Awesome! I for one really appreciate this move.
That said, I do agree with you, that firstly, the authorities would need to work on infrastructure first and then, once you have the infra to boast about, start such taxes.

I am also all for the tax but there has to be a logic and reasoning behind that. The government has a flawed reasoning to even think about implementing such a tax. The basic reason has been lack of efficient public transport system. Government has increased rates of everything, fuel, tax on diesel vehicle, toll rates, RTO charges but nothing has worked to stop the growth of automobile industry and particularly two-wheelers and passenger car segment, just because people are compelled to revert to their personal means of transport due to the current situation of Public transport in every part of India.

Originally Posted by Sugeeta

Another reason for us to join Mr. Anna Hazare in his fight against corruption.
Apologies for the outburst, but enough is enough! No more taxes please!!

It's not your outburst, it's the current prevailing ground situtation all across India. Particularly, of the working class women. We men feel so harrassed taking a public transport, imagine plight of a women, what harrowing experience they go through.

Originally Posted by Newpunter

Our government gives crores of tax breaks to the "poor" ICC for organizing the world cup, whereas the people are not poor enough for tax breaks. At this rate, the government would be running out of names for the new taxes :| .

newpunter, I myself was aghast to read this, 45 cr of taxbreak to ICC when they would be earning 600 cr of income just beacuse a central goverment minister is high up in governing council of ICC

Originally Posted by tsk1979

1. Most people, even educated people do not have enough sense to use logic.
However, this tax thing is simply going to make long lines and push up inflation.

It's not because educated people do not have enough sense to use logic, it'e because their lack of courage and will power to do that.
After all, when one work around an issue why deal with it, is the Indian mentality.
And come'on entry tax in New Delhi?? It's the country's capital, not an ecologically sensitive tourist place.

As Sugeeta said, all the more reason for us common mortals to join the Anna Hazare movement.

[TaureanBull]

I dont know how they intend to do it. If they establish toll booth like structures to collect taxes that would itself add to the existing traffic woos. You need such kind of booths all over the city.

Then there would be exempted categories viz politicians, VIPs etc.

Ultimately we people have ideas but poor execution. This is probably work of some babu trying to earn some brownie points.

[sgiitk]

Simple solution: Ban all motorcades of politicos!

London only has congestion charge in Central London (essentially the financial district). Also,, all cities mentioned have good to excellent public transport. Delhi - zilch. Metro is still only limited in extent.

[SILVERWOOD]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Simple solution: Ban all motorcades of politicos!

London only has congestion charge in Central London (essentially the financial district). Also,, all cities mentioned have good to excellent public transport. Delhi - zilch. Metro is still only limited in extent.

Its easier said than done.

Do we have the required technology to implement the same.(Number plate recognition system)?

Do we have a efficient public transport system like Tube, which has 270+ stations and 400+kms of track.?

[mayankk]

I really dont understand our taxes.
Just for delhi,we have industrial level drains like the ghost MCD employees, the CWG .
overheads, etc.
How can i feel comfortable giving them more money?
All i know for sure its gonna make some corrupt guy fatter.

This will just be another excuse for the ground level enforcement to beef up their monthly packages.

[Fordmanchau]

Congestion fees for women taking to personal transport for their safety, that too when police in Delhi/Gurgaon have to conduct "Operation Majnu" to teach eve-teasers a lesson. Read this.
Metro Majnus in womens coach get bangles, brooms - The Times of India

Originally Posted by TaureanBull

I dont know how they intend to do it.

Don't know how they will do it. The have yet not been able to find a solution for diesel subsidy. The proper execution of this tax collection is still a far fetched dream

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Simple solution: Ban all motorcades of politicos!

This will never see the light of day!!