Toll rates in state unchanged for now

Chandigarh,
The toll rates across the state will remain the same for the time being. The rates are usually increased every year on April 1 on almost all toll roads. In fact, the toll for heavy vehicles has been reduced.
Chief Engineer of the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) KK Garg said, “There are nine toll roads in the state and we have decided not to hike toll rates since there has been no increase in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).”
He said the toll rates would remain the same for the next six months even if the WPI increased in the near future.
Garg said that the toll was calculated on the basis of a formula. In case of trucks, the toll has been reduced by Re 1 on Moga-Kotkapura road. However, for buses, cars and other vehicles, the rate remains unchanged.
On the Ludhiana-Jalandhar national highway, a commuter in a car has to pay Rs 117 for a single trip and Rs 175 for a return trip (within 24 hours).
Charan Singh Lohara, former president of the All-India Motor Transport Congress, said the toll rates were fixed arbitrarily. He further complained that the toll on the Ludhiana-Jalandhar highway was very high.
He said there was no justification in raising the toll rates every year. Lohara said the toll should be collected by the National Highway Authority of India and not by the contractors.
He further said the representatives of the public should be involved in the process of fixing the toll rates.

Comments

comments