Transport department aims for Rs 30 lakh daily revenue from green cess during Char Dham Yatra
MANSI BHAMBRI/Dehradun
The Transport department intends to generate about Rs 30 lakh per day during the Char Dham Yatra starting on April 19 this year through the recently introduced green cess in the State, according to deputy transport commissioner Shailesh Tiwari.
Acting on directions from the State government, the department has initiated preparations for this effort, which includes collecting a green cess from vehicles entering the State from other States. The objective is to collect about Rs 100 crore in annual revenue from the green cess, with funds allocated to promote electric vehicles, reduce traffic congestion, improve road safety and support afforestation projects. The green cess’ implementation in the State commenced in January.
Speaking on the implementation of the green cess, Tiwari said that this initiative was introduced in the State in January. The rollout took place in stages, beginning with one location in the border region, followed by other additional sites and ultimately covering all 15 border area locations. Although there are 37 ANPR cameras installed throughout the State, the collection of green cess will only take place via the ANPR cameras positioned at the specified border points. Currently, approximately Rs 20 lakh is collected per day from the green cess. The department aims to collect about Rs 30 lakh per day during the Char Dham Yatra. Tiwari also pointed out that certain challenges have emerged, such as issues related to electricity and storage capacity. Nevertheless, the relevant officials are committed to addressing these problems within a defined timeframe, he said.
It is important to mention here that specific charges have been determined for various vehicle categories under the green cess. For example, heavy vehicles such as medium and heavy goods vehicles weighing between 7.5 and 18.5 tonnes will face a charge of Rs 250, whereas delivery vans will incur a fee of Rs 80, among others. Vehicles that are electric, battery-operated, solar, hybrid, or powered by CNG will be completely exempt from this cess, along with several other exceptions.
