Karnataka government is thinking about adding a congestion fee for vehicles travelling to Bengaluru

According to reports, the Karnataka government is considering imposing a congestion levy on vehicles reaching Bengaluru via nine roadways during peak hours.

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The suggestion is part of a recent comprehensive research titled 'Karnataka's Decade - Roadmap to $1 Trillion Economy,' according to a Times of India report.

The report was created in partnership with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) by the Department of planning, Program monitoring, and Statistics. It makes recommendations in a variety of industries, including agriculture, industry, technology, tourism, urban development, startups, and Bengaluru growth.

What exactly is Congestion Tax?

A congestion tax is a price that cars must pay when they enter specified areas of a city, particularly during rush hour. This tax is intended to assist reduce traffic congestion in specific places.

One of the report's main points is to address the city's traffic congestion problem. It implies that enacting a congestion fee could reduce travel times for buses, autos, and delivery trucks. The major purpose is to raise awareness among road users about the costs of congestion during peak hours.

Bengaluru has serious traffic issues, and imposing a congestion tax could be a solution. This charge would prevent people from driving their own cars, reducing traffic congestion.

It will most certainly make travel faster and more convenient for everyone, while also improving air quality.

By imposing a congestion charge in congested regions, driving would become more expensive, making public transport a more advantageous option for commuters.

According to the TOI article, the FASTag system might be utilised to collect the congestion tax. Authorities might establish up checkpoints at key entry points to congested areas and employ cameras to photograph vehicles as they pass through. The congestion charge can then be collected from car owners in the same way as traffic challans are.

Which country first introduced the system and how it works?

According to the economic theory beneath congestion pricing, the goal of this policy is to use the price mechanism to make users aware of the costs they impose upon one another when they consume during the peak demand period and that they should pay for the extra congestion they create.

Singapore was the first nation to implement congestion pricing on major city streets in 1975, and it was improved in 1998.