The government is working towards introducing uniform toll rates across the country. The government feels that at present there is a wide disparity between toll rates in the public funded and the private road projects. | |
| Also, toll rates vary in different states. For instance, in certain states it is on per-kilometre basis while some toll policies do not have any relation to distance travelled. |
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| "We have received representations from private players about wide variations in toll rates across states," a road transport and highway department official said, adding that a formula was being worked out to bring in parity. |
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| An industry official said private operators were allowed to charge without following the per-kilometre norm on the Delhi-Gurgaon tollway, on the account of high project costs. |
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| In case of rate revision, too, the practices vary in each state and the road transport and highways department plans to revise the toll rates annually. |
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| Officials said currently, the norm set by the National Highway Authority of India was to review the rates every five years. This practice, too, varied between states. |
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| For instance, there had been many projects where the state government had allowed the operator to revise rates after two years, a company executive pointed out. |
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| Department officials said the proposal for the revision had been put before a committee of secretaries (CoS). The CoS was set up this year to resolve the inter-ministerial problems faced in the construction of roads. Even the state chief secretaries will be invited in the committee for discussing various issues. |
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| During its last meeting in April, the CoS managed to convince the Haryana government to grant a state support agreement for the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway. Lack of an agreement had earlier delayed the project for more than a year. |
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| Other issues that are being considered by the CoS include setting up of a safety commissionerate in the ministry. This body is expected to lay down safety norms. One for the road At present, there is a wide disparity between toll rates in the government-funded and the private road projects Toll rates vary in different states Rate revision practices also vary in each state Other issues that are being considered include setting up of a safety commissionerate |
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