T.R. Anand,
Budge Budge.

The government should not charge anything for use of flyovers built around the city. But if they are so much in need of cash, then they can charge an annual tax. If the charge can be reduced to Rs 250, it will help car-owners as they are forced to pay toll at many other points. The toll system on each flyover would cause traffic congestion and call for employing people on every flyover which will only dry out the revenue earned. Therefore it is better for the government and the car-owners to pay off the amount at one shot.

Sayan Ghosh,
Bagbazar.

The new flyovers may impose a tax even on cars which never use them. Why should the people of the whole city suffer for the convenience of residents of a particular area? The government should tax only those cars that use them.

Suchi Arya,
Hungerford Street.

It would be fair only to tax the cars using the flyovers. There can be cars which do not use the flyover. Public transports like buses and even taxis can be charged an annual fee. The government can also consider making the system flexible by employing both methods of taxation and leaving the public to decide which suits their pockets.

Hara Lal Chakraborty,
Arabinda Nagar.

A blanket annual flyover tax on all vehicles is tantamount to paying a subsidy on behalf of car owners who use flyovers by those who do not. But car-owners using the flyovers are not below poverty level and therefore do not need this subsidy. He who enjoys the benefit should pay for it. If the user does not find the flyovers worth paying the tax, let him not use the same. This way, flyovers will come up at appropriate locations, otherwise the city will get lots of useless flyovers.

Roshni Sengupta,
Naktala.

The toll should be imposed only on cars using the flyover. A blanket tax would be rather unfair. Also the collection of toll would be easy and less cumbersome.

Ranadip Das,
Panihati.

Why should one bear the burden of an unnecessary tax? Instead of an annual flyover tax, I think seasonal toll tax tickets should be issued so that daily users can pass by without halting.

Sekhar Basu Mallik,
BB Chatterjee Road.

Charging a user fee is undoubtedly a rational concept. The problem lies in its application. If we start collecting toll charges for use of flyovers, the purpose of speedy transportation will be defeated. The concept of user charges cannot be stretched to that extent. Tomorrow a demand will be made for payment of toll charges on the users of subways, sidewalks, overbridges etc. It sounds absurd.

Priyanka Dawn,
New Alipore.

A city with a sluggish economical condition will hardly feel the requirement of a speedy road network.

Chameli Pal,
Batanagar.

The days of the Bidhan Chandra Royesque gameplan of taxing farmers in remote villages who have never seen Calcutta to create CSTC to provide subsidised transport to Calcutta babus is over. In a market-driven economy, the service user has to cough up the service fee. A blanket annual flyover tax is, therefore, untenable and against natural justice. Vehicles on the outskirts of the city seldom use the flyovers. Why should they pay the proposed annual tax? Collecting toll every time a car uses the flyover is the only solution.

Jyotirmoy,
Santoshpur.

Since we have no infrastructure for collecting toll on the new flyovers, and we want to avoid a traffic snarl, my vote is for an annual flyover tax. For outstation vehicles, toll should be collected at every point of entry to the city. The revenue should be used for the maintenance of flyovers and future constructions.

RIMLI DATTA,
Salt Lake.

I am for a blanket annual flyover tax on all vehicles. Flyovers are the main arteries of the city. Crores of rupees are required by the government for their construction and maintenance. The taxes collected will fetch a large amount of revenue to the government. And why should only cars be penalised when all sorts of vehicles are using the flyovers? This would lead to a meagre collection. Moreover, more flyovers need to be constructed, for which the government needs to have sufficient funds in hand.

Soham Gupta,
Anil Roy Road.

Imposing an annual flyover tax on all vehicles is not at all a good idea. Vehicle-owners are already paying vehicle taxes and they will curse another tax. Moreover, daily maintenance of the flyovers will be impossible with an annual collection. Therefore, it is better to impose a toll only on vehicles using the flyovers, helping in their daily maintenance.

Ayan Nandy,
Bhowanipur

I would suggest a toll only on cars (except ambulances, on-duty police vans and school buses) using the flyover. There should be a green channel to be used by card-holders who make a monthly or an annual payment. This may check the urge to buy new cars (which increases with building of new flyovers) which would further increase the air pollution in the city.

Arpita Bhattacharya,
Gorabazar.

A blanket annual tax has several advantages over a toll that can be imposed only on cars using the flyover, First, the second system would be a lot complicated and time-consuming. Second, an annual tax will ensure a systematic and more organised collection of revenue.

Ronita Dutta,
Jadavpur.

A toll tax will at least keep the traffic volume on the flyover in control, as not too many vehicles would be eager to shell out money very often.

Satya Prasanna Kar,
Behala.

Imposing a toll on cars at the entry point will cause confusion. On the other hand, an annual tax scheme will help the government mop up a lot of revenue which can be used on the maintenance and repair of old and new flyovers. The rate should be higher for heavy goods vehicles. For vehicles from other states though, a toll tax must be realised at the entry point itself.