Mumbai, February 9 Newly-elected BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar wrote to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief on Monday, suggesting the imposition of a congestion tax on vehicles in the city's central business districts, drawing criticism from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli in central Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray, whose party lost the BMC elections last month, condemned the proposal, stating that the BJP's sole aim was to continue "exploiting" Mumbai and its residents. In a post on X, Narwekar, a corporator from Colaba, a business and administrative hub in south Mumbai, argued that global cities like London and Singapore have successfully implemented congestion taxes. It is now the time for Mumbai to do the same. A pilot project in south Mumbai could provide valuable insights while discouraging single-occupancy vehicles, encouraging public transport, and reducing emissions, he said. "The recently tabled Economic Survey (placed in Parliament in January-end) supports congestion pricing. I am advocating for this policy to be included in the upcoming BMC budget. The revenue generated, estimated at Rs 200 crore-300 crore annually, will be reinvested into improving our city's environment," the BJP corporator emphasised. Slamming the move, Thackeray said that the BJP Mayor's term has not even begun, and its corporator Narwekar has already written a letter to the BMC demanding that a congestion tax be imposed on vehicles in the financial capital. "Without doing anything good for Mumbai, the BJP's only attitude is to continue exploiting Mumbai and Mumbaikars," the former state environment minister said in a post on X. Even though Mumbai contributes the most to the country's treasury, not a single substantial allocation has been made for the Maharashtra capital in the Union budget under the BJP rule at the Centre, the Opposition legislator claimed. Meanwhile, industries and jobs have consistently been driven out of Mumbai, Thackeray stated. In the last four years, the BJP government in Maharashtra has openly carried out numerous scams in Mumbai -- road scams, beautification scams, and many more -- all aimed at exploiting the city, he alleged. "And yet, this elected representative of the people has the audacity to demand even more money from the same hardworking Mumbaikars? Why does the BJP hate Mumbai and Mumbaikars so much?" he asked. "Will the BJP refund the 'BJP tax' for the cuts they made in (civic transport undertaking) BEST buses, just to benefit private bus companies? Will the BJP refund the 'BJP tax' for every single SPM particle that enters our lungs because of the dangerously high AQI (Air Quality Index)?" the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader sought to know. Does the BJP agree with Narwekar's "Mumbai-exploiting" proposal? he posed to his party's former ally. The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena won the polls to India's richest civic body last month.
Mumbai, February 9 Newly-elected BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar wrote to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief on Monday, suggesting the imposition of a congestion tax on vehicles in the city's central business districts, drawing criticism from the Shiv Sena (UBT). Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli in central Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray, whose party lost the BMC elections last month, condemned the proposal, stating that the BJP's sole aim was to continue "exploiting" Mumbai and its residents. In a post on X, Narwekar, a corporator from Colaba, a business and administrative hub in south Mumbai, argued that global cities like London and Singapore have successfully implemented congestion taxes. It is now the time for Mumbai to do the same. A pilot project in south Mumbai could provide valuable insights while discouraging single-occupancy vehicles, encouraging public transport, and reducing emissions, he said. "The recently tabled Economic Survey (placed in Parliament in January-end) supports congestion pricing. I am advocating for this policy to be included in the upcoming BMC budget. The revenue generated, estimated at Rs 200 crore-300 crore annually, will be reinvested into improving our city's environment," the BJP corporator emphasised. Slamming the move, Thackeray said that the BJP Mayor's term has not even begun, and its corporator Narwekar has already written a letter to the BMC demanding that a congestion tax be imposed on vehicles in the financial capital. "Without doing anything good for Mumbai, the BJP's only attitude is to continue exploiting Mumbai and Mumbaikars," the former state environment minister said in a post on X. Even though Mumbai contributes the most to the country's treasury, not a single substantial allocation has been made for the Maharashtra capital in the Union budget under the BJP rule at the Centre, the Opposition legislator claimed. Meanwhile, industries and jobs have consistently been driven out of Mumbai, Thackeray stated. In the last four years, the BJP government in Maharashtra has openly carried out numerous scams in Mumbai -- road scams, beautification scams, and many more -- all aimed at exploiting the city, he alleged. "And yet, this elected representative of the people has the audacity to demand even more money from the same hardworking Mumbaikars? Why does the BJP hate Mumbai and Mumbaikars so much?" he asked. "Will the BJP refund the 'BJP tax' for the cuts they made in (civic transport undertaking) BEST buses, just to benefit private bus companies? Will the BJP refund the 'BJP tax' for every single SPM particle that enters our lungs because of the dangerously high AQI (Air Quality Index)?" the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader sought to know. Does the BJP agree with Narwekar's "Mumbai-exploiting" proposal? he posed to his party's former ally. The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena won the polls to India's richest civic body last month.
- Tags
- bjp bmc brihanmumbai municipal corporation colaba congestion tax economic survey emission reduction mumbai public transport shiv sena (ubt) south mumbai traffic congestion
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