CHENNAI: Despite clear-cut rules being laid out by the government, toll plazas continue to fleece passengers and mint money while the National Highways Authority (NHAI) remained a mute spectator. The NHAI was ordered by the government — a good 10 years ago — to ensure that a minimum distance of 60 km is maintained between any two toll plazas on national highways. Plazas violating this distance rule were supposed to be shifted.
The National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008 clearly state that the distance between any two toll gates on national highways should be 60 km. It also prohibits toll plazas from being set up within 10 km radius of corporation or municipality limits. However, NHAI officials have turned a blind eye to these violations claiming that it was necessary for the “viability of the project”.
Subsequently, these toll plazas were granted an exemption by the concerned competent authorities. In Tamil Nadu alone there are 46 toll plazas, of which six have been functioning in violation of the National Highways rules. “We have been demanding that these toll plazas, set up in violation of norms, be relocated,” says S Yuvaraj, president of Tamil Nadu State Sand Lorry Owners Federation (TNSSLF). “Had the norms been followed, at least the one on Chennai-Tiruchy highway would not have been set up.”
While directing the Chairman of NHAI and Managing Director of National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation to shift the toll plazas that were built violating the mandated national highways norms, the ministry also ordered NHAI to ensure that toll plaza projects currently under execution must be in conformity with NH Fee Rule 2008. “As a one time measure, all the fee plazas established in deviation of Rule 8 of NH Fee Rule 2008 may be notified as temporary fee plazas, with the condition that the executing Agency shall relocate the fee plaza as per provisions of the rule within a period of two years,” said the order (Express has the copy of document).Despite repeated attempts, NHAI officials could not be reached for a comment.