[sustran] Shimla civic body mulls green tax on vehicles entering town

[Vinay Baindur]

http://himachal.us/2011/08/10/shimla-civic-body-mulls-green-tax-on-vehicles-entering-town/29836/news/baldev



*Shimla civic body mulls green tax **
**on vehicles entering town*

Posted by Baldev S. Chauhan , August 10th, 2011

Shimla : In an effort to reduce vehicle congestion in the popular resort
town of Shimla, the municipal corporation here is proposing imposing a green
tax on all vehicles entering the hill station.

This tax is proposed on the basis of a green tax already being imposed in
Manali, another crowded resort town of Himachal Pradesh.

Only vehicles from outside the state will be taxed while local ones will be
exempt, a spokesman of the Shimla MC said Wednesday.

Under the Himachal Pradesh  Municipal Corporation amendment act 2011, the
corporation has been authorised under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission (JNNURM) act.Shimla has already been selected under the
mission.The matter will come up in the next session of the civic body, the
spokesman said.

The income generated from the green tax will be spent on the improvement of
the environment and civic amenities in Shimla.

This summer saw the largest number of vehicles entering the town often
causing long traffic snarls.Due to the steep mountain terrain the resort
town has very limited parking space.The cost of parking is very high.

If one does find a parking lot, one has to walk long distances as many roads
in the heart of Shimla are out of bounds for vehicles as well.The vehicle
green tax rate list will be finalised in the next civic body session,an
official said.

Currently a two wheeler entering Manali has to pay Rs 100 a car Rs 200, a
sumo sized vehicle Rs 300, while a bus or truck has to cough up Rs 500 per
vehicle.