'Congestion tax' mooted to ease traffic in Bengaluru

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In a bid to decongest Bengaluru's traffic which has gained notoriety for generating never ending delays, the Karnataka planning department and an industry group have suggested that authorities in Bengaluru levy a 'congestion tax' to ease traffic snarls on high density corridors during rush hours.

As per a report named ‘Karnataka’s Decade – Roadmap to $1 Trillion Economy,’ citizens in Bengaluru waste 60 crore person-hours annually, along with nearly 2.8 lakh litres of fuel per hour, due to traffic jams.

"A congestion charge in the city, applicable to all non-exempt vehicles entering Bengaluru during busy periods, could be implemented with the aim of reducing congestion and improving journey times for buses, cars, and delivery vehicles," the report said.

The report was submitted by the planning, programme monitoring and statistics department in collaboration with industry group Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry(Ficci) suggesting several measures to address traffic congestion.

The high density corridors where congestion tax could be levied include Bellary Road, Tumkur Road, Magadi Road, Mysuru Road, Kanakapura Road, Bannerghatta Road, Hosur Road and Old Madras Road.