Hike in vehicle green tax soon

HYDERABAD: Get ready to pay more green tax for your worn-out vehicles soon.The Road Transport Authority has sent a proposal to hike the existing green tax to the government, which is likely to be approved in the next few days.Once in place, the tax would put an additional burden of Rs 100 crore on motorists in the state.RTA rules classify transport vehicles like autorickshaws and cabs which are more than seven years old as worn-out.Non-transport vehicles like two-wheelers and cars are treated as wornout after 15 years from their date of registration.At present the government collects Rs 200 per year as green tax for transport vehicles, Rs 250 for worn-out two-wheelers and Rs 500 for four-wheelers, the latter two for every f ive years.Officials now propose to hike the tax to Rs 200-Rs 500 yearly for transport vehicles, Rs 250-Rs 500 for two-wheelers every five years and Rs 500- Rs 1,000 for four-wheelers every five years.According to official sources, there are 20 lakh worn out non-transport vehicles and 2 lakh worn-out transport vehicles in the state.If the vehicle has passed its worn-out period but is in a good condition, it can be reregistered by paying re-registration fee and green tax.One would have to pay Rs 425 for registering two-wheelers and Rs 625 for four-wheelers. The government has exempted LPG, CNG, battery and solar vehicles from green tax. But motorists are opposing the hike in the tax, saying it would only be an additional burden on them.The Telangana Auto and Trolley Drivers Association, Greater Hyderabad organ i z i n g s e c r e t a r y M Dayanand said that the government has already raised petrol and diesel prices several times and is worsening it by hiking tax as well.He demanded the government to withdraw the proposal and threatened agitation if the proposal is not withdrawn.