Driving Alone in Bengaluru? Get Ready to Pay a Congestion Tax

Bengaluru officials are planning to introduce congestion tax, in a bid towards easing the ever-increasing traffic in the city. The idea was discussed at a recent high-level meeting to improve road infrastructure and unclog the city roads.

Participating in the meeting, urban expert RK Misra suggested introducing congestion charges on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) to discourage single-occupant cars. Cars with only one occupant entering the ORR would attract a congestion fee, which would be automatically deducted through FASTag. “Cars with two or more occupants won’t be charged, he said.

He said that it was not enough to add new roads, the government should also focus on demand management.

This is not the first time that A committee under Karnataka’s “Vision $1 Trillion Economy” has mooted the idea of imposing a congestion tax in Bengaluru. In 2023, the Planning, a report by the  Programme Monitoring and Statistics Department and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce had recommended a congestion tax on private vehicle, passing through nine high-density roads to enter Bengaluru during the peak hours.

The roads identified having high traffic density included Outer Ring Road, Sarjapur Road, Hosur Road, Ballari Road, Old Madras Road and Tumakuru Road. At that time, experts warned of backlash from commuters on imposition of such a tax, without boosting the public transport infrastructure.

In the last two years, the situation has not changed. The city’s public transport is not robust, mass transit systems such as the metro and suburban rail network projects are paralysed by delays. The pavements also offer limited walkability.

Benefits of Introducing Tax

The introduction of congestion tax could reduce traffic congestion along critical stretches such as ORR and busy arterial roads. It would also discourage unnecessary car trips during peak hours.

The bold proposal aims at curbing solo commuting and an incentive for carpooling.

The tax would add additional revenue that could be earmarked for improving infrastructure or transit systems.

Citizens argued that penalizing drivers without providing dependable alternatives is unfair. Some say it would burden those who have no choice but to use a car due to gaps in transit coverage. Technical, legal, and administrative complexities: ensuring accurate vehicle tracking, determining boundaries for taxed zones, exemptions, and real-time enforcement, all are major tasks.

Resistance is expected from motorists, middle-class commuters, and those opposed to new levies in the absence of visible infrastructure gains.