Move aims to curb vehicular pollution and boost revenue through automated FASTag-based collection


The Uttarakhand government will soon begin levying a Green Tax on private vehicles entering the state, a move expected to generate around Rs 150 crore in annual revenue.

The levy, currently applicable only to commercial vehicles, will now cover private cars, jeeps and other four-wheelers registered outside the state. The Transport Department has partnered with a private agency to implement a fully automated collection system aimed at improving transparency.

Fifteen Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have been installed at key entry points across Garhwal and Kumaon to detect vehicles and deduct the applicable charge via FASTag. Vehicles without sufficient balance or without FASTag will be flagged for manual recovery. Re-entry within 24 hours will be exempt from additional payment.

The daily Green Tax has been fixed at Rs 20 for three-wheelers, Rs 40 for four-wheelers, Rs 60 for medium vehicles and Rs 80 for heavy vehicles. Two-wheelers, electric and CNG vehicles, as well as government, emergency and service vehicles, will be exempt.

Dehradun RTO Sandeep Saini said the system will be operational in November, following approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Revenue collected will fund air pollution control, urban transport upgrades and road safety initiatives.

Himachal Pradesh already imposes a similar entry tax, and Uttarakhand’s move reflects a growing policy shift towards cleaner and more sustainable mobility in the hill states.