New Delhi, Mar 19: Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government will soon announce a new policy for toll charges on national highways, offering a reasonable concession to consumers.
Replying to queries in Rajya Sabha, the minister asserted that the government is spending a lot on building road infrastructure and therefore toll charges are necessary.
“It is the policy of the department that when you want good road, you have to pay for it,” Gadkari said.
In Assam, he said the government plans to make expenditure of Rs 3 lakh crore.
“We are making a lot of big roads, four lanes, six lanes. I am making a lot of bridges from the Brahmaputra. We are raising funds from the market. So without a toll, we cannot do it. But still, we are very considerable. We are only charging toll on four lanes, not on the two-lane paved shoulder.” According to the rules of 2008, toll plaza on the same section of the national highway and in the same direction cannot be established within 60 kilometers.
“So actually, there are some exceptions. After completing this session, we are going to declare a new policy for the toll, where the problem will be resolved and we will give reasonable concession to the consumer, and there will be no debate on particularly about the toll,” he said, adding that the problems would be resolved.
All user fee plazas on National Highways are established as per the provision of National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 and the respective Concession Agreement.
Total toll collection in India touched Rs 64,809.86 crore in 2023-24, a 35 per cent rise over the previous year. The collection was Rs 27,503 crore in 2019-20. (Agencies)
