SHOCKER For Bengalureans! You May Have To Pay Congestion Tax For Travelling On These Roads

Congestion Tax: To address the persistent issue of traffic congestion in Bengaluru's IT hub, the Karnataka government is considering the implementation of a 'congestion tax' on 9 specific roads within the city. These roads, including the notoriously congested Outer Ring Road (ORR), are causing significant delays during peak traffic hours. The proposed tax aims to reduce the number of private vehicles on city roads and encourage more people to utilise public transportation services.

The idea to introduce a 'congestion tax' in Bengaluru is a recommendation stemming from a report titled 'Karnataka's Decade - Roadmap to a USD 1 Trillion Economy'. This report highlights the ongoing traffic jams in the IT city, which result in 1.2 crore residents wasting approximately 60 crore person-hours and around 2.8 lakh liters of fuel each hour.

What is Congestion Tax?

A congestion tax is a fee imposed on vehicles entering specific areas during peak traffic hours. This tax is intended to deter vehicles from entering designated zones, ultimately reducing traffic congestion and air pollution.

Congestion Tax on These Bengaluru Roads:

The congestion tax is expected to be applied to the following roads in Bengaluru, which experience substantial traffic congestion:

• Old Airport Road (OAR)
• Outer Ring Road (ORR)
• Old Madras Road
• Sarjapur Road
• Hosur Road
• Ballari Road
• Bannerghatta Road
• Tumakuru Road
• Kanakapura Road
• Magadi Road
• West of Chord Road

Collection of Congestion Tax:

The collection of the congestion tax will be facilitated through the FASTag system. Cameras will be installed at key entry points of the designated roads, where the tax will be automatically deducted when vehicles pass through these checkpoints.

It must be noted that if this is implemented, Bengaluru may become the first city in India to introduce such a congestion tax system.