Debate Over Congestion Charges and Vehicle Taxes to Address Urban Traffic in India

India's recent GST cuts have boosted private vehicle sales, worsening urban congestion and pollution. Experts suggest Indian cities should introduce congestion surcharges and increase fees for older, polluting vehicles, leveraging existing Fastag infrastructure and upcoming GPS-based tolling. While these measures aim to fund public transport and reduce traffic, some argue that taxing petrol and CNG vehicles, as proposed in Delhi, may disproportionately impact middle-income and commercial users without addressing EV infrastructure challenges, limiting their effectiveness in promoting cleaner transport.