In deference to demands by many MPs,Minister of Road Transport and Highways Kamal Nath on Wednesday said his ministry would review the toll policy in order to come up with a more acceptable charges to be levied from users of national highways. Replying to a discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the functioning of his ministry,Nath said he would have a relook at the toll rates and on the category of highways that required a toll to be levied. Should the toll for a two-lane road be enough to cover only the capital cost,or should it be able to cover the cost of maintenance as well? Certainly,we must have toll for maintenance at least. Then what about the capital cost? Where does the capital cost come from? These are all issues that need to be re-examined, he said. The toll policy was revised in December last year. During the discussion,however,a number of members demanded that the tolls should be abolished or at least made a temporary phenomenon and the rates be reduced.
