Parliamentary panel slams ‘perpetual tolling’ on national highways | India News

NEW DELHI: A parliamentary panel wanting into the levy of consumer charges or toll costs on National Highways (NHs) has raised issues over the present observe of “perpetual tolling” even after mission prices are recovered and a 3% annual escalation, regardless of the freeway high quality, visitors quantity, or consumer affordability.While recommending rationalisation and substantial discount in toll costs on such stretches, its report has additionally mooted a “tariff authority” for toll fixation. The Public Accounts Committee headed by Congress MP Ok C Venugopal stated, “Any continuation of tolls beyond this point should be permitted only if clearly justified and approved by the proposed independent oversight authority”. It stated the street transport ministry can set up the authority on the traces of the Airports Economic Regulatory Authority (AERA) within the civil aviation sector, to make sure transparency and equity in toll fixation, assortment, and regulation. The report added that the authority needs to be mandated to overview and decide the periodicity of toll revisions based mostly on sure parameters.In response to the PAC’s commentary that there isn’t any institutional mechanism to independently consider whether or not toll costs are justified in relation to precise operation and upkeep prices or future service necessities, the ministry stated it has initiated a examine with NITI Aayog to revise the consumer charges willpower framework, together with base charges, inflation indexing, and concession constructions.As per the report, the ministry instructed PAC that it has requested NITI Aayog to hold out a examine in affiliation with IITs and IIMs.The panel has additionally sought overview of all current contracts and publicly funded toll plazas permitting tolling past the price restoration interval, to safeguard consumer curiosity and uphold the precept of fairness. It stated that whereas increased toll costs are justified through the interval of concession settlement, their assortment after that must be justified.