Motorists may soon be able to use the national and state highway stretches falling within their municipal corporation limits without paying toll under a new proposal. The government has proposed exempting local residents, charges for local residents as defined by municipal limits, from toll payments for all the highways being developed either by public or private parties.
"We have made a proposal to the Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry for the exemption of the taxes for the local residents. It is in final stages of being cleared," Transport Secretary Brahma Dutt told PTI.
Local residents seeking to avail the exemption will have to get their vehicles registered with the toll plaza with their residence proof. Exemption is proposed to be given to people living up to 15 km radius of the toll plaza. The proposal also provides for setting up of toll collection points 5-10 kms away from the main city centres.
The government has also mooted a proposal for 50 per cent discount on toll charges for the frequent commuters on toll roads.
Anyone using the toll road on an everyday basis can get a monthly pass made at 50 per cent discount.
With the clearance of the proposal expected soon, local residents would have greater ease in traveling on toll roads, such as the six-lane stretch on National Highway-1 covering Panipat city including an elevated highway constructed recently to smoothen traffic flow in the city.
Government is undertaking four-laning of 1,590 kms of roads under the National Highway Development Plan (NHDP)-III and six-laning of about 1,030 kms under NHDP-V. It has also appoved the construction of 1,000 kms of expressways under NHDP-VII.
