GUWAHATI: Seven toll gates in Assam have collected a sum of ₹309 crore just in a year (2022), The concern remains that despite collecting a huge amount of toll tax the conditions of roads remain in shambles in many places.
Replying to an RTI petition by one Rakesh Hazarika, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) stated that for the year 2022, Galia toll gate collected ₹33.14 crore, Madanpur toll gate collected ₹108.91 crore, Nazirakhat toll gate collected ₹81.32 crore, Raha toll gate collected ₹52.14 crore, Mikirati Hawgaon toll gate collected ₹25.88 crore, Manderdisa toll gate collected ₹1.99 crore and the Balachera toll gate collected ₹5.68 crore.
It may be noted that these toll gates of Assam excluding the Balachera toll gate had previously collected a toll tax of ₹289.55 crore in total since their commissioning (May 2020) till February 2022.
The toll gates and toll rates have been a sensitive issue in Assam, a state where most of the National Highways, particularly those in Barak Valley, are in the most dilapidated condition to date despite the government announcing several schemes to improve the road conditions.
In 2015, the Supreme Court in a verdict ruled that the NHAI cannot collect toll fee from commuters if the road is in bad shape.
A frequent Guwahati – Silchar traveller, Dipankar Das talking to G Plus said, “It is not at all justified to collect toll fees by the government as the road condition is pathetic.” Even commuters travelling to Sonapur, Jagiroad or Morigaon are unhappy with the road conditions and paying toll fees for such poor road conditions irks them. The quality of roads constructed by NHAI has been under scrutiny. In June 2022, various officials of NHAI were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The CBI arrested five people, including two officers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in connection with a case of bribery of ₹4 lakh in Guwahati, media reported. The CBI booked the NHAI officers for allegedly favouring a Gurugram-based company in processing and clearance of bills, release of bank guarantees, etc. in lieu of illegal gratifications.
When there is a graft involved in any construction process, the quality of the construction is compromised, said a road construction contractor. Removal of toll gates from Assam remains a gimmick as the four toll gates which were reported to be likely removed from Assam is not happening any time soon.
Aam Aadmi Party in a statement issued said that in March 2022 Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari had stated in the Lok Sabha that all toll collecting points on the National highways, which are within 60 km of each other, will be closed in the next three months.
AAP said, “Galia toll gate collected ₹33.14 crore, Madanpur toll gate collected ₹108.91 crore, Nazirakhat toll gate collected ₹81.32 crore, Mikirati Hawgaon toll gate collected ₹25.88 crore, looting a total of ₹249.25 crore in the name of toll tax from these 4 illegal toll gates. Despite the declaration of Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari in the parliament, these four tollgates have not closed and have continued to collect (loot) a total of ₹249.25 crore in the name of toll tax in the last year 2022.”
AAP demanded that to prevent further unauthorized tax collection, it is imperative that the four tollgates declared unlawful by the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways in the Parliament must immediately and permanently closed.
A source in the NHAI talking to G Plus said that they did not receive any orders to close any toll gate. Moreover talking about the condition of the roads, the source claimed that the condition of the roads in some areas requires rework because of natural reasons it is very difficult to maintain the roads well, always in the northeastern region.
