GANDHINAGAR: Get ready to
pay for congesting the roads. In February beginning, the Union urban
development ministry wrote to the Gujarat chief secretary to move towards charging a ‘congestion fee’ for roads which are designated as central business districts (CBD) in main cities.

In the same month, the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority
(Auda) and the state urban development department declared 10 square km
area on Ashram Road as CBD. For reference, London has 20 sq km area
earmarked as central business district.

In the city, this
stretch has been assigned the highest FSI of 5.4. The extra FSI
incentive on Ashram Road will make the area more dense, leading to
congest roads. Union urban secretary Sudhir Krishna, in his letter to
Gujarat chief secretary, said that the tax should not be restricted to
CBDs but also can be extended to core areas, like the old city which was
congested all the time.

In 2010, Sabarmati Riverfront
Development Corporation Limited (SRFDCL) had mooted the idea of
collecting toll from vehicles that will use the east and west bank roads
on the either sides of the river. “This was for those who would have
skipped Ashram Road to take the two parallel riverfront roads,” says a senior AMC official.

But Krishna has also requested that massive awareness drives be carried
out regarding the tax and so that transparency was maintained. “In
order that congestion tax is not opposed at large, it is important to
seek public cooperation. Launch intensive campaigns that educate people
on the benefits of the congestion charges on their health and wellbeing.
The public has to be assured that congestion tax is not just to fill
government coffers but also to improve transportation networks in the cities,” says Krishna.

Krishna has even suggested ways of collecting the taxes – the most
effective being the electronic mode. This includes online payment, SMS
payment, prepaid and systems that could recognize vehicles through radio
frequency enabled devices. But first, according to Krishna, a manual
system based on coupons should be introduced. “But first, conduct a
proper study on road stretches that require congestion tax and conduct a
survey on how much can citizens pay,” he recommends.

Business of convenience

AUDA development plan declares stretch between Ellisbridge and Hotel
Fortune Landmark on the west side of the Sabarmati, and between
Dudeshwar Bridge and Shahpur Gate in the east as the central business
district

Maximum permissible FSI in CBD is 5.4

New congestion tax to be imposed in CBD area to reduce traffic volume
and encourage people to walk, cycle and use public transport.