3 min readMumbaiFeb 8, 2026 09:40 PM IST
With Mumbai grappling with unhealthy air quality levels since October, elected corporators have renewed calls for the introduction of a congestion tax in the city’s central business districts, arguing that curbing vehicular traffic is critical to tackling rising pollution.
A congestion tax is a fee levied on vehicles entering densely populated, high-traffic areas during peak hours, aimed at reducing vehicle volume on already clogged roads. Such pricing mechanisms are widely used in cities like London and Stockholm. In India, the Karnataka government had proposed a similar levy last year for vehicles travelling on high-density corridors. The central objective is to restrict traffic flow and bring down pollution levels.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) dashboard, Mumbai recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 117 on Sunday, categorised as moderate and considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, including children and senior citizens. Notably, Mumbai’s air has remained in the moderate category on all days of February so far. In January, the city recorded unhealthy air for 23 days.
Data from CPCB further shows that 26 of the 28 operational AQI monitoring stations in Mumbai have reported moderate air quality. Sion recorded the worst AQI at 186, followed by Bandra (East) at 160 and Navy Nagar (Colaba) at 150.
Against this backdrop, Makarand Narwekar, a newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator, has written to Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani, urging the civic body to implement a congestion tax in Mumbai. In his letter, Narwekar cited the recently released Economic Survey, which recommends congestion pricing as a tool to ease traffic, cut emissions and improve urban mobility.
“This policy can be implemented in congested central business districts like south Mumbai on a pilot basis. Focused trials in the island city could offer critical insights into the feasibility, challenges and benefits of implementing a congestion charge in Mumbai. This tax will discourage unnecessary vehicle usage, encourage public transportation, and reduce both traffic congestion and air pollution.”
Narwekar proposed a levy of ₹50–₹100 per entry during peak hours—between 8 am and 11 am, and 5 pm and 8 pm. High-traffic zones, he suggested, could be identified using the existing CCTV network and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras installed at entry points.
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“This move is expected to generate an estimated Rs 200–300 crore annually which can be used to improve the city’s air quality,” Narwekar added.
Vehicular emissions have already been identified as a major contributor to air pollution under the Mumbai Air Pollution Mitigation Plan (MAPMP) released in 2023. Mumbai also has the highest vehicle density among metro cities, with 2,300 vehicles per kilometre, according to state government data. This marks a steep rise from 1,840 vehicles per km in 2019 and 1,150 per km in 2014.
The pressure is further compounded by new vehicle registrations. Regional Transport Office (RTO) data shows that 3.02 lakh vehicles were registered in Mumbai in 2025, up from 2.79 lakh in 2024, underscoring the scale of the challenge facing the city.
