New Delhi: For a long time, there have been complaints of arbitrariness of contractors running toll plazas on national highways. After growing public complaints and discontent about arbitrary installation of toll booths, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a directive, asking to enforce strict compliance of existing toll rules.
The government circular issued to all highway development agencies states that the minimum distance between two toll plazas on national highways should not be less than 60 kilometers. It has also been made mandatory that no toll booth should be installed within 10 kilometers of the municipal limit except in exceptional circumstances.
These rules have been a part of the national toll policy for a long time, but irregularities are also seen in it. In the last few months, several reports have come to light where toll booths have been found to be installed too close to each other or in urban areas – which violates the prescribed norms and troubles regular commuters.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has emphasized in a recent directive that any exception to the distance norms will now require detailed justification and multi-level approval before any such toll plaza is allowed to operate.
The ministry said in its circular, “It is imperative that toll plazas are set up in accordance with the approved policy to avoid unnecessary burden on commuters and maintain fairness in toll collection.”
Instructions to highway authorities
The ministry has also directed highway authorities to strictly consider these norms at the planning and approval stages of any highway or expressway project. The ministry has warned of action against agencies violating the policy.
The move by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways comes after growing discontent among locals and public complaints, where one toll plaza after another and proximity to the city limits has increased the cost of travel and caused discontent among the public.
