MADURAI: Sub: Without giving any prior notice the Union Govt. has increased the National Highways toll fee from 01.04.2021 in Tamilnadu –
Trade and Industry and general public are severely affected – TN
Chamber strongly condemns:
Mr.N.Jegatheesan, president, TN Chamber of Commerce and Industry, has issued a press statement from Madurai today- on 3rd April 2021- stating that without giving any prior notice, the National Highways toll fee has been additionally increased Rs.5/- to Rs.30/- from 01.04.2021 in Tamil nadu. The Union Government’s move has come as a shock to the people as they have already dissatisfied with the existing toll fee which is in high. Trade and industry and general public are already suffering due to abnormal prices of petrol and diesel. In this situation the additional increase of Toll Fee in Tamil Nadu has further increased the financial burden of the people.
Most of the vehicles currently in use in the country have now come under Fast Tag mode. The Union Government has already directed to collect double charges from the vehicles, not covered under Fast Tag, the toll fee has now been increased again.
The trade and industry, transport truck owners and the general public have already been hit hard by the existing toll fee charges. There are 566 toll plazas on the 29,666 km National Highway in India. Of these,
Tamil Nadu alone has the highest number of 48 Tollgates. 64.50 lakh vehicles pass through these tollgates and an amount of Rs.104 crore have been collected daily. It seems that if the amount collected in cash in toll gates is added in toto Rs.200 crore can be collected daily. Under Fastag mode as payment is directly debited from bank account the commuter couldn’t easily ascertain how much amount is being deducted in his bank account for toll fee charges in a month.
QUALITY ROADS: WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY?
“The National Highways Authority, which was functioning under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of the Union Government, was dissolved and became autonomous in 1995. The main function of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is to connect and improve all the states by road.
They have a responsibility to build quality roads to promote not only for passenger traffic but also essential for goods traffic. In such cases, the Union Government has set up four-lane or six-lane roads, install tollgates and lease them out to private contractors, subject to regulation. There is a rule that toll charges should be reduced when the number of vehicles passing these tollgates increases. None of the toll contractors that took the lease complied with it. At most tollgates, no sufficient facilities are provided for commuters. The Courts have pointed out that only 50 per cent toll fee should be levied until basic amenities are made available, but no
tollgate contractors are adhere to that.
WHY ROAD TAX?
In particular, for every new vehicle registration, Lifetime Road Tax is paid to the Government. As such, it does not seem fair to collect road tax at such toll gates. In Tamil Nadu, it is customary to increase the toll tariff on a rotational basis at 26 of the 48 toll plazas on April 1 each year and at the remaining 22 toll plazas on September 1st. There should be a distance of 60 km from one toll to another. The toll gate should be located at a distance of 10 km from the Municipal/Corporation limits. There are rules that roads must be dug and new roads laid after two years.
But none of those rules seem to be followed either by the National Highways Authority or by the toll leasing contract companies.
A toll-free state must be created or toll fees must be significantly reduced. In the past, roads were built and toll fee were collected for a particular period and then
dedicated to the general public for their usage at free of cost. But it is sad that toll contract leasing companies are now becoming the target of generating more revenue from the public.
Existing roads are not properly maintained by the National Highways Authority of India. But in what way is it fair to just keep raising toll fees year after year? The question is beginning to arise among the trade and industry and the commoners.
The trade and industry has been hit hard by such toll fee hikes and the prices of all essential commodities and consumer goods have risen sharply, affecting all walks of life.
On behalf of trade and industry and general public, TN Chamber has made an appeal to the Union Government that toll fee has to be collected for a particular period for the roads laid and thereafter the Government should take necessary steps to remove the toll gates, Mr.N.Jegatheesan, TN Chamber president, has said in the important press release issued in Madurai on 3rd April 2021.
