Haryana to take up high toll taxes with Centre

Chandigarh, May 28 (IANS) The Haryana government Wednesday said it will take up with the central government the issue of high toll taxes being imposed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on highways in the state.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Haryana cabinet here.

"The cabinet Wednesday decided to take up the issue of high toll charges imposed by National Highways Authority of India with the central government, particularly in those areas where the toll was determined under the 2008 toll policy," a state government spokesman said.

The cabinet noted that union Minister of State for Transport Krishan Pal Gujjar had himself admitted that the toll charges were high and needed appropriate relief and waiver.

"The toll charges under 2008 policy are so high that currently the average user has to pay Rs.2.28 per km as compared to Rs.1.17 per km which would have been determined as per the revised 2010 policy. It was also noted that while the commuters are heavily burdened, the NHAI will collect a premium of about Rs.2,200 crore for the concession period," said the spokesman, quoting the cabinet proposal.

The Haryana government had, earlier this year, taken the initiative to take over the Delhi-Gurgaon toll barrier which was a cause for long traffic jams.