Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has categorically denied reports that the state government is considering the introduction of a 'congestion tax' in Bengaluru. The clarification comes amid speculation that such a levy was being discussed as part of efforts to manage the city’s worsening traffic situation.
Denial of congestion tax proposal
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday (September 30), Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, said there was no move by the state government to impose a congestion tax, dismissing it as “false information.” He explained that while some industrialists and citizens had given suggestions to improve the city’s traffic flow, no such proposal had reached the government at his level.
"All those things are false; there is no such tax or anything," he said, adding that inputs from the public would be examined but not automatically adopted.
Congestion tax discussions
Official sources had earlier indicated that a congestion tax was discussed during a recent meeting on Bengaluru’s decongestion strategy. Urban mobility experts had suggested imposing a levy on single-occupant cars, particularly during peak hours, to discourage such use. Proposals even included piloting the initiative along the busy Outer Ring Road (ORR).
However, Shivakumar firmly ruled out any such plan, suggesting that if at all such a move were to be implemented, it should be considered by the central government, not by the current state administration.
BJP’s criticism
The clarification followed strong criticism from the opposition BJP. Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, R Ashoka, likened Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s government to a "Tughlaq administration," accusing it of trying to tax people without addressing basic infrastructure issues. "First, repair the roads and everything will be fine," he remarked, suggesting that better road quality itself would help reduce congestion.
Ashoka also questioned whether ministers, including the chief minister, who often travel alone, would be subjected to the same tax, highlighting what he said were flaws in the idea. He warned that if such a matter ever reached court, the state government would face reprimand.
Government’s focus on infrastructure
Shivakumar reassured citizens that the government’s priority is to ease traffic through infrastructure initiatives rather than imposing levies. He emphasized that ongoing and upcoming infrastructure projects, along with cooperation from citizens, would address Bengaluru’s traffic woes more effectively in the long term.