Uttarakhand to Introduce Green Tax for Vehicles Entering from Other States in December

Starting in December, Uttarakhand will levy a green tax on vehicles entering from other states to reduce pollution and enhance environmental protection. The tax will be collected via Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras at state borders.

From December, vehicles entering Uttarakhand from other states will incur a green tax, officials have announced. This initiative is designed to reduce pollution, safeguard the environment, and encourage cleanliness within the state. The tax collection will commence in December, according to the authorities.

State Additional Transport Commissioner Sanat Kumar Singh explained that Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will be used to capture the registration numbers of incoming vehicles at the state's borders. Initially, 16 cameras were installed in these areas, but this number has now increased to 37.

Green Tax Collection Process

The transport department has engaged a vendor company to manage the green tax collection. Singh mentioned that data from the cameras will be transmitted to this vendor through specialised software. This software will filter out information related to vehicles registered in Uttarakhand, government vehicles, and two-wheelers.

The filtered data will then be sent to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) database. From there, vehicle owners' wallet numbers will be identified, allowing for automatic deduction of the relevant tax amount. This amount will then be deposited into the transport department's account.

Tax Rates for Different Vehicles

Various vehicle categories have been assigned different tax rates. Small vehicles will be charged Rs 80, while small cargo vehicles will incur a fee of Rs 250. Buses are subject to a Rs 140 tax, and trucks will be taxed between Rs 120 and Rs 700 based on their weight.

This new measure aims to control pollution levels by imposing financial responsibility on vehicles entering from outside states. The implementation of ANPR technology ensures efficient monitoring and collection of taxes without manual intervention.

With inputs from PTI