Toll policy may be amended soon

NEW DELHI: The Cabinet would soon take up a road ministry suggestion to amend the toll policy for highways so that toll collections by developers before a project's completion are capped.

The idea is to ensure that developers expedite projects' completion rather than delay construction and keep collecting toll. The proposal, which the highways ministry will send to the Cabinet soon, includes the suggestion that in highway projects involving expansion from fourlane to six-lane, developers can collect only 75% of the toll ‘as at present’ during the construction period.

The yearly escalation applied on toll rates would also not be allowed. Only after the construction is complete can developers start collecting the full toll amount. “At present, in four-lane to six-lane expansion projects, developers can start collecting toll from the first day. There’s no incentive not to delay construction. By capping the toll amount the collect and not allowing for the yearly toll revision, they will be losing out on toll revenue.

Also, after construction, they can start collection 100% toll which will include the escalation during the construction period. We expect both these aspects will incentivise them to complete construction on time,” said a road ministry official.

NHAI chairman R P Singh had also written to the highways ministry on Monday on a similar issue suggesting that toll should be stopped in the Gurgaon-Jaipur stretch where the developer has been missing deadlines and could be extended all other such projects, said sources.