Pay to drive in congested areas of Delhi

Before the Commonwealth Games, the Delhi government is planning to begin levying a charge on motorists for driving in congested areas of the capital, officials said Monday.

"The Delhi Transport department is working out a plan to levy a fee on motorists driving in the congested areas of the capital before the Games. The step would help in controlling number of vehicles in busy areas during the sporting event," said Delhi Environment secretary Dharmendra.

Dharmendra was speaking at a discussion 'Clean air before the Commonwealth Games' organised by the Centre for Science and Environment.

"There has been a quantum jump in the number of vehicles plying on roads in the capital in the last few years and such steps can help in checking inflow of vehicles on Delhi roads," he said.

Managing traffic during the upcoming Games is a big challenge for the Delhi government this year. The Delhi Traffic police is also planning to have dedicated lanes during the Games for swift movement of athletes and delegates.

The Indian capital is among the most polluted cities in the world. Its major problem is an ever-growing number of cars, three- and two-wheelers, which occupy a staggering 75 percent of the road space, although only 20 percent of the commuting public use them.

Delhi has over five million vehicles and another four million come to the metropolis from towns in the national capital region in adjoining states.

Many European countries levy congestion charge on motorists. A fee is charged from motorists travelling within the Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ). The charge aims to reduce congestion and raise investment funds for the transport system.