Lok Sabha Question No. 77 (STARRED), answered on 2016-04-28
Subject: Collection of Toll Tax
Ministry: ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
Asked by: RAMESH POKHRIYAL NISHANK, BHARAT SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 77 ANSWERED ON 28 TH  APRIL, 2016

## COLLECTION OF TOLL TAX

## *77. DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL "NISHANK": SHRI BHARAT SINGH:

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

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- (a) the present status of the use of the-state-of-the-art technology in the process of collection  of toll in the country;
- (b) the percentage of toll collection centres where the said technology is being used;
- (c) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  making  toll  collection  smooth,  transparent  and simple;
- (d) whether  various  complaints  including  irregularities  in  toll  collection  centres  have  been received by the Government during the last three years; and
- (e) if  so,  the  nature  and  number  of  such  complaints  received  and  the  corrective  follow-up action taken by the Government on them?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS

## (SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)

- (a) to (e)  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 77 FOR ANSWER ON 28.04.2016 ASKED BY DR. RAMESH POKHRIYAL "NISHANK" AND SHRI BHARAT SINGH REGARDING COLLECTION OF TOLL TAX

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(a)  to  (c)  The  National  Highways  Authority  of  India  (NHAI)  has  rolled  out  the  cashless  payment mechanism (FASTag) on fee plazas on National Highways. FASTag offers near non-stop movement of  vehicles  through  fee  plazas  and  convenience  of  cashless  payments  of  fee(toll)  with  nationwide inter operable Electronic Fee Collection Services.  FASTag is operational on over 275 fee plazas (out of  Total  358  NHAI  Fee  Plaza)  (i.e.  76.81%) on  National  Highways  across  the  country.  FASTag employs RFID technology for making fee payments directly from the account linked to it. A vehicle using  FASTag  will  have  cashless  travel.  Government  has  allowed  NHAI  to  give  10%  cash  back incentive on fee  payments in financial year 2016-17 for FASTag users. The cash back amount for a particular month will be credited back to the FASTag account at the beginning of the next month. Use of FASTag will increase user convenience from payments without stops at fee plazas thus saving on time, money and fuel. The online payments shall improve transparency of  fee transactions and reduce revenue leakages thus improving overall efficiency and commercial competitiveness.

(d) Yes, Madam.

(e) 92 complaints were received during the last three years. These include overcharging, misbehavior by fee collecting staff, general facilities, wrong receipt issued, excess user fee charges, high toll rates, illegal  toll  collection  etc.  In  this  regard,  suitable  follow-up  actions  like  penalty  imposed  on  fee collecting  agency,  removal  of  fee  plaza  staff,  publicity  measure  regarding  user  fee  information, warning to concessionaire etc. have been taken by the concerned executing agency.

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