EICI asks government to extend toll suspension on National Highways

Express Industry Council of India (EICI) on Thursday appealed to the government to extend exemption deadline for toll booths on national highways to facilitate smooth flow of shipments until situation stabilises.

EICI is an apex logistics body which guards common interests of domestic logistics-express industry.

"While every effort is being made by our members to ensure their drivers carry the new higher denomination notes as well as use other alternative payment systems available post November 11, 2016, due to unprecedented rush in the banks as well as limits on cash withdrawals, it is turning out to be difficult to implement," said the apex logistics body in a release.

 

Following government announcement that Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes would not be legal tender from November 9, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday announced that all 365 tolls across all National Highways accept the currency denominations till November 11 midnight to ease the situation of jams and long queues at toll booths.

"We need further extension till November 20, as we expect situation to take a while to stabilise," said a source from EICI.