Mumbai Eyes London-Style Congestion Tax for Heavy Traffic Zones
Mumbai corporator proposes congestion tax for single-occupant cars in south Mumbai to reduce traffic and pollution.
Mumbai could soon witness a major shift in how traffic congestion is managed, with a senior BJP corporator proposing a London-like congestion tax for the city’s busiest areas. Colaba corporator Makarand Narwekar has written to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner, urging the civic body to design and pilot a congestion pricing scheme to discourage excessive private vehicle use.
Under the proposal, single-occupant private cars entering high-traffic zones such as Fort, Nariman Point and Colaba during peak hours would be charged a fee. Narwekar suggested a levy ranging between Rs 50 and Rs 100 per entry during morning (8 am to 11 am) and evening (5 pm to 8 pm) rush hours. The aim is to reduce traffic load during the most congested periods.
The corporator has recommended using existing infrastructure such as FASTag, CCTV cameras and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems to collect the charges automatically. According to him, such a system would minimize operational complexity while ensuring efficient enforcement at designated entry points across South Mumbai.
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Narwekar argued that a congestion tax would discourage unnecessary private vehicle trips, push commuters towards public transport, and help reduce emissions. He highlighted that Mumbai’s air quality has frequently hovered between moderate and unhealthy levels in recent months, largely due to increasing vehicle density. He also estimated that the tax could generate Rs 200–300 crore annually.
The proposal comes amid growing concern among urban planners and health experts over Mumbai’s worsening traffic and pollution levels. In his letter to the BMC, Narwekar cited India’s Economic Survey, which supports congestion pricing as a tool for managing urban mobility. He suggested a pilot project in South Mumbai to assess feasibility, public response and operational challenges before any city-wide rollout.
Globally, congestion pricing has been successfully implemented in cities such as London, Stockholm, Singapore and New York, leading to reduced traffic and improved public transport usage. While similar discussions have emerged in Indian cities like Bengaluru, no congestion tax has yet been implemented domestically. The BMC and Maharashtra government have not formally responded, and any move forward would require policy planning, public consultation and legal approval.
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