Mumbai has the third most congested roads among global cities, and its citizens lose 121 hours every year to traffic snarls. The situation is almost the same in major metros such as Bengaluru and Delhi, while car sales hit a record high of 3.8 million in 2022 despite high interest rates and inflation. To curb this issue, an NGO called Tsunami on Roads approached the Supreme Court seeking a 'one car, one person' norm, but the plea was rejected.
Pay up more to own another car
The apex court said that a law to tax a car owner for buying a second four-wheeler, can be brought via government policy. It hence refused to entertain the petition filed under Article 32, and said that the NGO can approach the concerned authorities on the matter. The organisation wants an environmental tax, to discourage people from buying more vehicles, so that pollution can be addressed as well.
Need for a national campaign
Their plea was asking for directions to initiate a national level programme for addressing air pollution, where the budget could be utilised effectively via coordination between central and state governments.
Parking a major issue as well
Back in 2021, the Bombay High Court had highlighted the need to bring down new car sales in Maharashtra. It had even advised authorities to bar people with one flat from buying multiple cars, if they don't have enough parking space.
(To receive our E-paper on WhatsApp daily, please click here. To receive it on Telegram, please click here. We permit sharing of the paper's PDF on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.)
