Double Toll and Arbitrary Charges to End, Nitin Gadkari Advises Officials

Pune, 26th June 2024: Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has issued directives to tackle the issues of double toll charges and arbitrary practices at toll booths. Addressing officials, Gadkari emphasized the need for a more efficient system to alleviate the difficulties faced by travelers. His recommendations aim to address complaints regarding unfair toll charges and penalties, even for Fastag users, thereby improving the overall travel experience on India’s highways and expressways.

Highways and expressways are being continuously developed across India, accompanied by the collection of toll taxes. However, arbitrary practices at toll booths, including excessive charges and penalties despite having Fastag, have been a persistent issue. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, during a recent program, highlighted these concerns and provided solutions to officials to mitigate these problems.

Union Minister Gadkari discussed various challenges faced by drivers on highways and expressways. He noted the increasing complaints about arbitrary practices and double toll charges at toll plazas. Gadkari mentioned receiving numerous complaints about excessive charges and fines, even for those using Fastag, with many of these grievances remaining unaddressed, leading to public frustration.

To combat these issues, Gadkari suggested the implementation of a public grievance system. This system would allow affected individuals to file complaints directly at the toll booth or through a mobile number. The minister emphasized the importance of prompt action, proposing that complaints be resolved within an hour to ensure fairness and prevent arbitrary charges. This initiative aims to ensure that toll booths cannot charge extra arbitrarily and that fines are not imposed on vehicles equipped with Fastag.

Gadkari also revealed that India has a total of 127 million vehicles, including 72 million four-wheelers, 40 million trucks, and approximately 15 million commercial vehicles. He noted that 25% of these vehicles do not have Fastag, with around 90 million vehicles using Fastag for toll payments. Additionally, 3% of people are unwilling to use Fastag.

Regarding revenue, Gadkari stated that 75% of toll collection comes from trucks and commercial vehicles, while 25% is collected from cars. Currently, toll collections amount to INR 54,000 crore, and with the introduction of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), the revenue could increase by INR 10,000 crore.