Lok Sabha Question No. 1500 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-24
Subject: Collection of Toll Tax
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: DADDAN MISHRA, HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI, PARVATAGOUDA CHANDANAGOUDA GADDIGOUDAR, GEETHA KOTHAPALLI, PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU, FAIZAL P.P. MOHAMMED, K. GOPAL, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, JUGAL KISHORE SHARMA, CHINTAMANI MALVIYA, BHARATI DHIRUBHAI SHIYAL, A.T. (NANA) PATIL, SHER SINGH GHUBAYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1500

ANSWERED ON 24 TH  NOVEMBER, 2016

## COLLECTION OF TOLL TAX

## 1500. SHRI DADDAN MISHRA:

DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

SHRI P.C. GADDIGOUDAR:

SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

SHRI P.K. BIJU:

MOHAMMED FAIZAL:

DR. K. GOPAL:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

SHRI JUGAL KISHORE:

PROF. CHINTAMANI MALVIYA:

DR. BHARATIBEN D. SHYAL:

SHRI A.T. NANA PATIL:

SHRI SHER SINGH GHUBAYA:

Will the Minister of ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS be pleased to state:

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- (a) whether there is a provision to collect/uniform toll tax on all National Highways in the country, if so, the details thereof, State-wise and if not, the reasons therefor and the basis on which the toll tax rate is fixed;
- (b) whether any complaint of unauthenticated and illegal tolls under harassment and overcharging of toll collectors on several routes reported upon, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has notified the scrapping of toll tax collections on small road stretches and bridges, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- d)  whether  the  Government  has  given  relaxation  or  exemption  from  Toll  Booths  on  National Highways to some class of people or vehicle, if so, the details thereof;
- (e) the details and status of booth that have collected excess money than the construction cost of the roads;
- (f) the required spacing between two toll plazas on National Highways; and
- (g) whether the Government has rolled out FASTag system on National Highways, if so, the details thereof and its implications?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

(SHRI PON. RADHAKRISHNAN)

- (a)  Yes,  Madam.  Government  has  notified  the  National  Highways  Fee  (Determination  of  Rates  & Collection) Rules, 2008 on 5.12.2008, as amended from time to time for the projects taken up on or after 05.12.2008.  For  the  stretches  completed  before  5 th December,  2008  the  fee  collection  is  as  per  the National Highways(collection of Fees by any person for the use of Section of National Highways/Permanent Bridge/Temporary Bridge on National Highways) Rules, 1997; and the National Highways (Rate of fee) Rules, 1997 for those completed after the date of notification of these Rules. The user fee on a stretch of National Highways is collected as per the individual Notifications published in the Official Gazette by the Central Government.  In case where a particular stretch of National Highway is entrusted  to  a  State  Government/UT,  they  comply  with  the  Notification  issued  by  the  Central Government.
- (b)  Any  such  complaint  received  is  attended  by  the  executing  agency  for  needful  action  as  per  the provision of contract/concession agreement/NH fee rules. The redressal of such complaints is an ongoing process. In the recent past, 24 such complaints have been received and attended by the executing agency.
- (c) Yes, Madam. Ministry has issued notifications for discontinuation of user fee on following bridges for which residual recoverable project cost is less than 100 Crore, in the larger public interest-
- (d) Yes, Madam. As per Rule 11 of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules,  2008,  as  amended,  Government  has  given  exemption  from  fee  (toll)  to  certain  categories  of vehicles. Further, As per Rule 9 of the National Highways Fee (Rate of Collection and Determination) Rules, 2008, as amended, there is a provision of discount to vehicles used for multiple journeys & also for local users.
- (e) The collection of user fee for the use of a section of National Highway is done as per the provisions in applicable Fee Rules and the Concession/Contract Agreement. The period of collection of user fee does not depend on the capital cost recovery in case of PPP Projects (BOT / OMT) and is continued for the entire concession period. After that, the fee is collected at reduced rates of 40%. Whereas, in case of a public funded project, the fee is reduced to 40% after recovery of capital cost of the project.
- (f) As per the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, the desirable distance between two fee plazas on same section of National Highway and in same direction is 60 km. However,  based  on  the  site  specific  constraints,  the  executing  authority  may  relax  this  criterion  for reasons to be recorded in writing as provided in Rule 8.
- (g) Yes, Madam. For seamless movement at Fee Plazas, a cashless payment mechanism (FASTag) has been rolled out. Electronic Fee Collection (EFC) system has been rolled out w.e.f. 18.04.2016. The use of FASTag  shall  reduce  traffic  congestion  and  increase  user  convenience  in  making  payments  without stoppage at fee plazas thus saving on time, money and fuel.

|   S. No. | State        | Name of project                                                                                                           |
|----------|--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Assam        | Kalia Bhomora Bridge (km 9.280 to km 12.295) of NH-37A with toll plaza location at km 7/100                               |
|        2 | Chhattisgarh | Shiv Nath H.L. Bridge at Nandghat in Km. 66/2-8 of NH-200 (New NH- 130)                                                   |
|        3 | Kerala       | NH-47 Akkulam Bridge Ch. 5750 to Ch. 6119 on Trivendram Bypass                                                            |
|        4 | Kerala       | Kundanoor Bridge on NH-47A connecting Wellington Island and Koshi                                                         |
|        5 | Kerala       | Varapuzha Bridge at Km. 431/500 and ROB at Edapally at Km 437.250 of NH-17                                                |
|        6 | Kerala       | ROB Padannakkad (Kasaragod) District at Km. 90.695 (Design Ch. 88.780) from Km. 90.100 to Km. 91.300 of NH-17 (New NH-66) |