Be ready to shell out more money while driving on National Highways. Almost 70 per cent of the NH length is likely to be brought under a new, higher toll rate soon.If the new National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) User Fee Rules, to be placed before the Cabinet on Thursday, gets the go-ahead, two laned NHs will be tolled and the toll rates will be enhanced for all projects costing more than Rs 50 crore. The new set of rules have also recommended reducing the number of dignitaries to be exempt from paying toll. The exemption is likely to be limited to those holding constitutional offices and ministerial positions. Government sources said the new rules stipulate slab-wise toll rates dependent on project cost. On all new two laning projects to be built on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) format, user fee imposed would be 60 per cent of the toll charges imposed on four-lane National Highways. The ambit of the clause enlarges when seen against the backdrop of the Government policy to take up all new infrastructure projects on Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) basis. While 25,000 km of NHs under phases I, II and III are already set to be tolled, another 20,000 km would be covered under NHDP IV which envisages two laning of all single-lane NHs. This will bring 45,000 km of the 70,000 km National Highways under tolls. The ministry has downplayed the move saying it will only be introduced where there is a private player who comes forward to upgrade a single lane NH on BOT basis and the move will help upgrade neglected NH sections as well.
