No bar on effecting hike in toll rate, claims NHAI

October 7, 2013

By Express News Service – THRISSUR

Union Minister for Transport and Highways has not directed the National Highways Authority of India or the toll operator to put on hold the implementation of revised toll rate on the Mannuthy – Edappally stretch of the National Highway 47 from September 1, said P Ramanathan, project director, National Highways Authority of India.

Earlier, P K Biju and P C Chacko MP had claimed that a decision to shelve the implementation of the revised rates was taken at high-level meeting held in the presence of Union Minister for Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes and ministers from the state in New Delhi on August 30.

The minutes of the meeting which reached the NHAI office, here, the other day does not have a single word about toll or Pallieyakkara toll plaza, he said.

The minutes have only details about various projects related to National Highway development in the state. All other claims are false, he said.

It is true that company is yet to finish the work along the stretch. The failure to do so will attract hefty fines from NHAI authorities.

The NHAI had earlier slapped a fine of Rs 5 crore on the contractor agency for failing to provide essential services and withdrawing the ambulance, crane services and other equipment required for the rescue operations.

However, it does not mean that the company has no power to revise the toll annually, he said, further adding that there is no connection between completing remaining works on the highway and hiking of toll rates.

P K Biju MP and P C Chacko MP earlier claimed that the union minister had assured them that the revised toll rate would not be implemented without completing the remaining works by the contractor company on the stretch.

Source-http://newindianexpress.com