Congress promises big road toll revamp in its Lok Sabha election manifesto
Congress party, in its Lok Sabha election manifesto released on April 5, brought India's road toll collection policy into sharp focus.
Saying that the current road toll rates are seen as excessive and exploitative by common people, the grand old party promised a big revamp of the same.
The policy on road tolls will be reviewed, the party's manifesto said.
Also, formulae will be applied to determine the toll amount and the period of levy for each stretch of the road, it added.
A few days earlier, toll rates were in the news following the Election Commission's directive to the state-owned NHAI to go ahead with the calculation of new user fee (toll) rates on highways but not to implement the new rates until after the polls.
Congress manifesto for Lok Sabha election 2024: Key announcements and highlights
The annual toll revision, slated to kick in from April 1, has now been deferred following the EC's direction.
The annual revision of toll hikes, which was expected to be in the range of average 5 per cent, was to come into effect on April 1 for most of tolled highways and expressways stretches across the country.
The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.
There are around 855 user fee plazas on national highways. Out of these, around 675 are public-funded fee plazas and 180 are concessionaire-operated toll plazas.
Recently, minister Nitin Gadkari had said that the current
