Delhi's public transport must improve radically: CSE

The CSE on Friday said the Delhi government should improve the city's bus transport service,impose congestion fee on private cars, and discontinue one-time parking charges to improve the worsening air quality.

Praising the government for prioritizing public transport augmentation and service for all in its budget presented on Thursday, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said immediate steps were required to "radically" improve public transport in Delhi.

"If no further action is taken to radically improve public transport, walking and cycling, Delhi will gasp for breath, pay unacceptable fuel costs and spew warming gases like never before. The government should focus on augmentation of bus transport and improvement in bus transport service," said CSE executive director Anumita Roychowdhury.

"This budget has to turn the tide to help Delhi meet its Master Plan target of 80 percent public transport ridership by 2020," she added.

"This is a much-needed move at a time when Delhi is gasping for breath and the daily travel trips are expected to explode to 25.3 million trips a day."

The CSE further sought to impose congestion tax on private cars on the lines of trucks entering the city.

"The budget has proposed to impose congestion tax on incoming trucks. Its full potential can be realized only when it is extended to all cars that cause congestion," the CSE said.

"The budget should also discontinue the practice of one-time parking charges and introduce high and variable rates for parking across the city to discourage car use and increase revenues from parking," it added.