Coimbatore: In the absence of vehicles during the lockdown, the central government announced that the tariffs will begin from April 20 onwards. Though the curfew has been extended till May 3, some vehicles are allowed to operate with restrictions in place. Hence the toll gates have started operating from midnight.
Coimbatore: In the absence of vehicles during the lockdown, the central government announced that the tariffs will begin from April 20 onwards. Though the curfew has been extended till May 3, some vehicles are allowed to operate with restrictions in place. Hence the toll gates have started operating from midnight.
To the dismay of motorists though, Rs. 5 - Rs. 10 has been collected in excess at the Karumathampatti toll roads today. Motorists who are transporting essentials are facing great difficulty already. It is noteworthy that the central government's directive has been met with condemnation from various leaders in the context of the worsening of COVID-19 in the country.
The NHAI has authorised the concessionaires to charge the hiked rates after the Union government gave nod on Friday. The nominal hike is an automatic process carried out based on wholesale price index in accordance with the provisions of National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Since the toll gates were closed on April 1, the revised fee will be collected from Monday.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu State Lorry Owners Association (TNSLOA) has questioned the rationale behind collecting user fee when lockdown is in force. Association president Kumaraswamy said, “Given that only less than 10 per cent of trucks are operational, the Centre’s decision is shocking.” “Only trucks carrying essentials are operated amidst lot of challenges. What is the necessity for resuming toll collection? The move will increase transportation cost by `1,000 to `1,500 per truck,” added Kumaraswamy.