You may have to pay for driving into SoBo, western suburbs

Mumbai: Motorists may soon have to pay a congestion charge for driving into south Mumbai and the western suburbs, if the state approves the proposal made by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA).      Mumbaikars may also have to pay development charges in the form of taxes against appreciation of their properties and businesses due to upcoming infrastructure projects such as sea links, metros and monorails.      "I think the city should follow the Singapore pattern. Buying cars there isn't easy; in fact, it is very expensive. Besides, there are heavy road taxes and congestion fees. After all, there will be a limit to elevated roads in a city like Mumbai," MMRDA commissioner Rahul Asthana told the media on Wednesday, a day before his retirement. "Time has come for Mumbai to think on these lines now… restrictions on private vehicles through congestion tax or heavy taxation on buying vehicles may be imminent."      Senior MMRDA officials said Asthana has forwarded the recommendations to the state, which will soon take adecision.      "I wonder how vehicles move on the packed S V Road," he said, upholding the idea of the MMRDA collecting property tax or 10% development charge in Bandra-Kurla Complex and other growth centres, such as Wadala and Oshiwara, where it is the planning and development authority.      Asthana said Mumbai also needs more parking facility and there should not be any hesitation in collecting betterment charges from people around the project areas, offering them development and heavy appreciation in terms of property prices and business prospects. A 1978 batch IAS offer, Asthana, will retire on Thursday after serving the MMRDA for two years. He is expected to join the MERC's judicial commission after a month's hiatus.  HC COMMITTEE'S MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS      SET UP AN URBAN MASS TRANSPORT AUTHORITY: The authority will be given all legal and financial powers for efficient implementation and coordination of traffic projects  Agency responsible:  Urban development (UD) department TIMEFRAME 2 Years      PROVISION FOR VICARIOUS LIABILITY: A proposal will be tabled to amend the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act to hold the owner of the vehicle equally responsible for certain offences committed by the driver  Agency responsible: Home or transport department TIMEFRAME 2 YearsREFRESHER TRAINING: The MV Act will be amended to make refresher course mandatory for every licence holder  Agency responsible: Transport department TIMEFRAME 3 Years  CONGESTION PRICING IN SELECT AREAS: It will be a system of surcharging users of public goods that are subject to congestion through excess demands  Agency responsible: UD department TIMEFRAME 3 Years  RESTRICTION ON REGISTRATION OF NEW VEHICLES: A proposal will be send to the government to amend the MV Act and restrict registration of new vehicles  Agency responsible: Transport department TIMEFRAME 2 Years  CREATE A TASK FORCE TO SELECT MODERN TECHNOLOGY:The task force will study use of  radio frequency identification device and CCTV system to detect traffic offences  Agency responsible: Home department TIMEFRAME 3 Years      NEW EQUIPMENT TO ENFORCE TRAFFIC OFFENCE AND DELEGATION OF POWER:  The proposal will involve procuring wireless CCTV cameras, GPS system, hydraulic cranes, helmets with communication sets, tint meters among other equipment for the traffic police. Police naiks and constables will be given power to impose the MV Act. At present, only head constables and their seniors are authorized to do so  Agency responsible:  Home department TIMEFRAME 1 Year      A STRONG AND EFFECTIVE PARKING POLICY: The policy will involve systemizing onstreet parking in which no 'change of use' permission will be given unless provisions of  mandatory parking requirements are followed  Agency responsible: UD department TIMEFRAME 2 Years  ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE PARKING UNIT: It will look after all on road, off road, vertical parking management using smart cards  Agency responsible: UD department TIMEFRAME 3 Years SPECIAL UNIT FOR ACCIDENT MANAGEMENT:  Accidents account for 20% of road congestion. The special unit will be given modern equipment to remove damaged vehicles as early as possible  Agency responsible:  BMC TIMEFRAME 1 Year