Haryana to provide relief in toll rates

After having worked out an agreement with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on the troublesome Delhi-Gurgaon toll plaza, the Haryana government has now proposed framing of a policy for other toll plazas in the state.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Thursday directed officers to frame a policy to provide relief to people in the rates of toll plazas.

He also directed officers to discontinue charging increased rates at toll plazas till the time the policy for giving relaxation in the toll rates is framed.

Presiding over a meeting with officers of public works (building and roads department and NHAI here on the issue of providing relaxation in toll rates, Hooda admitted that toll rates were high in Haryana and had to be reduced to make it affordable for people to pay.

"Besides relaxing the rates for all the people passing through it, further relaxation in the toll rates would be given to those residing in the nearby areas of toll plaza," he said.

Hooda said that the Haryana government was ready to bear the loss which would be caused by reducing toll rates and accordingly compensate the NHAI. He asked NHAI officers to calculate their financial loss and submit a detailed report to the state government by next week.

He said that representatives of people living in areas near toll plazas met him and apprised him that the toll rates are substantially on the higher side.

NHAI member-finance Satish Chandra told media that the Haryana government has asked them to reduce toll rates in the state. He said that NHAI had no objection if the Haryana government provides relief in toll rates.

Various toll plazas on busy national highways passing through Haryana have emerged as a source of inconvenience to commuters as these lead to traffic jams and increased commuting time.