Mumbai, Feb 9 (PTI) Newly-elected BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar on Monday wrote to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief suggesting imposing a congestion tax on vehicles in city's central business districts, inviting criticism from the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli in central Mumbai Aaditya Thackeray, whose party lost the BMC polls last month, slammed the proposal, saying the BJP's only aim was to keep "looting" Mumbai and its residents.

In a post on X, Narwekar, who is a corporator from Colaba, a business and administrative hub in south Mumbai, argued that global cities like London and Singapore have successfully implemented congestion tax.

It is the time for Mumbai, too, to do the same. A pilot project in south Mumbai could offer critical insights whilst discouraging single-occupant vehicles, encouraging public transport, and reducing emissions, he said.

"The recently tabled Economic Survey (placed in Parliament in January-end) supports congestion pricing. I'm pushing for this policy to be included in the upcoming BMC budget. Revenue generated, estimated at Rs 200 crore-300 crore annually, will be reinvested into improving our city's environment," the BJP corporator emphasised.

Slamming the move, Thackeray said in Mumbai, the BJP Mayor's term hasn't even started yet, and its corporator Narwekar has already written a letter to the BMC demanding that a congestion tax be imposed on vehicles in the financial capital.

"Without doing anything good for Mumbai, the BJP's only attitude is to keep looting Mumbai and Mumbaikars," the former state environment minister said in a post on X.

Even though Mumbai contributes the most to the country's treasury, not a single substantial allocation has been made for the Maharashtra capital in the Union budget under the BJP rule at the Centre, the Opposition legislator claimed.

Meanwhile, industries and jobs have been consistently driven out of Mumbai, Thackeray stated.

In the last four years, the BJP government in Maharashtra has openly carried out numerous scams in Mumbai -- road scams, beautification scams, and many more -- all aimed at looting the city, he alleged.

"And yet, this elected representative of the people has the audacity to demand even more money from the same hardworking Mumbaikars? Why does the BJP hate Mumbai and Mumbaikars so much?" he asked.

"Will the BJP refund the 'BJP tax' for the cuts they made in (civic transport undertaking) BEST buses just to benefit private bus companies. Will the BJP refund the 'BJP tax' for every single SPM particle that enters our lungs because of the dangerously high AQI (Air Quality Index)?" the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader sought to know.

Does the BJP agree with Narwekar's "Mumbai-looting" proposal? he posed to his party's former ally.

The BJP and its ally Shiv Sena last month won the polls to India's richest civic body. PTI PR RSY