Not practical to charge toll tax when roads are in bad shape: Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan Assembly

Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot Tuesday said that he principally agrees that toll tax should not be charged when roads are in a bad shape.

Replying to a question during Question Hour in the Rajasthan Assembly, Pilot said that state government has written to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), stating that it is not practical to charge toll tax when roads are not in good shape.

Pilot, who also holds the Public Works Department (PWD) portfolio, while replying to a question of Kundanpur legislator Bharat Singh, said charging of toll tax on roads comes under the jurisdiction of the NHAI.

Singh had specifically raised a question related to toll-tax on NH-27 in Kota and Baran districts.

The deputy chief minister said currently, toll tax is being charged on 40 NHAI roads in the state and the issue raised by the Kundanpur legislator, prima facie, is logical that a user should not have to pay a toll when roads are in bad condition.

However, the NHAI has different guidelines and charging toll on roads comes under its jurisdiction, he added.

He said that he was principally agreed with the issued raised by the legislator, and added that the state government is yet to get a reply from the NHAI.