Delhi Govt may hike registration fee to get more revenue; reduce air pollution in city
Purchasing a diesel car, much in vogue these days, will make a big hole in your pocket if you live in the Capital. The Delhi Government is planning to increase the registration fee on diesel cars as they are considered one of the biggest contributors to air pollution in Delhi.
Chief Secretary SK Srivastava has directed the Trans-port Department to bring a proposal to increase registration fee on diesel cars to discourage buyers and generate more revenue. According to estimates, the number of total vehicles in Delhi is nearly 75 lakh, out of which 30 lakh are cars.
A World Health Organisation (WHO) air quality database of 1,600 cities and 91 countries released on May 7 shows that the concentration of PM2.5 (fine, respirable particles) is the highest in Delhi at 153 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m³).
Top sources told The Pioneer that the Chief Secretary has advised the Transport Department to review the existing registration fee of motor vehicle being charged in Delhi. “If need be, we can increase registration fee of motor vehicles particularly of diesel cars in Delhi which are adversely affecting the environment,” the minutes of the meeting said.
Currently, registration fee is fixed five per cent on diesel car having cost up to Rs six lakh while registration fee is 8.75 per cent of those diesel car cost between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. Those cars having price of over Rs 10 lakh, the registration fee is 12.5 per cent. In UP and Haryana, the registration fee is between 8 and 9 per cent. Transport Department officials say that if the registration fee of diesel car is hiked, the buyer will buy it from neighbouring UP and Haryana. “The registration fee on diesel car is still two per cent high in Delhi as compared to UP and Haryana,” they said.
Officials say that the Transport Department is falling short of revenue collection in the current financial year. It has collected an amount of Rs 93 crore from motor vehicle tax in April 2014 and for achieving the target of Rs 1,600 crore during the current financial year, the Transport Department has to collect Rs 137 crore per month during the remaining months of the current financial year.
The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA) in its report had earlier recommended a complete ban on the use of diesel in personal transport vehicles in Delhi. The report said that Delhi was able to arrest and lower air pollution with the introduction of CNG vehicles, but has not been able to sustain these gains with air pollution levels again rising due to the growing number of vehicles in the city. “Since 2007, particulate levels have increased by 75 per cent during the decade 2002 to 2012, vehicle numbers have increased by as much as 97%, contributing enormously to pollution and direct exposure to toxic fumes.” “Studies show that about 55% of Delhi’s 17 million people who live within 500 metres of roads are directly exposed to toxic vehicular fumes,” it said.