Highway toll set to go up

Highway users will have to shell out more toll for using the roads that are constructed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) scheme.

Under the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008, cleared by the Cabinet recently, a minimum toll fee of Rs 5 for car, jeep, van and other light motor vehicles; Rs 7.50 for light commercial vehicles, light goods vehicles or mini-bus; Rs 15 for truck or bus; and Rs 30 for oversized vehicles for using permanent bridge, bypass or tunnel whose cost of construction is above Rs 10 crore, has been imposed.

Earlier, consumers did not have to pay anything additional over and above the toll for using the highway, irrespective of whether they passed a tunnel or a bridge.

The new rules will not apply to agreements and contracts executed for any highway project prior to the publication of these rules.

Feedback Ventures MD (Engineering Division) Parvesh Minocha said, “From a consumer’s point of view, this is definitely going to put an additional burden. However, if our infrastructure sector has to develop, allowing companies to impose toll on permanent bridges, bypasses and tunnels that are on standalone basis will be a major booster.”

“Till now, what we lacked was a consistent toll policy for bridges and flyovers. With the new rules, the government has tried to fill those gaps,” added Minocha.

“This is definitely going to be a bit expensive for the highway users. Since this is a new concept, it will be interesting to look at how the general users respond to it,” said Tapash K Majumdar, CFO, C&C Constructions Ltd.

The new rules also allow the contractor to revise the toll rate every year, beginning April 1, by a maximum of 3 per cent of the base rate, plus an additional 40 per cent of the wholesale price index (WPI). The new rate will be the base rate for the subsequent years. However, according to the previous toll revision policy, the annual revision in the fee was completely based on WPI.

The government has increased the base toll rate also by around 1 per cent to 3 per cent.