Centre to be blamed for extending lease of expired tolls, says PWD Minister EV Velu

CHENNAI: Minister for Public Works Department (PWD) EV Velu on Tuesday told the Assembly that amendments to the rules and regulations made by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) have revived toll plazas that had surpassed their toll collection period, allowing 13 such toll plazas in Tamil Nadu to continue operating.

Velu informed the State Assembly that MoRTH had amended the rules to permit toll plazas that had exceeded their toll collection period to remain operational. However, he mentioned that the Tamil Nadu government has been making continuous efforts to eliminate toll plazas that are operating in violation of the rules.

“The state has a total of 77 toll plazas, including 13 that are still operating despite the expiry of the toll collection period,” said the minister. He alluded to the difficulty in closing these toll plazas, as authorities had revised the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, allowing the continued operation of expired toll plazas.

The authorities justify this decision by stating that the funds collected are required for repairing hotspots and black spots on national highways, as well as for improving and maintaining bridges and road quality. As a result, toll collection will continue, the minister explained, while responding to former minister Dindigul C Srinivasan, who raised concerns about the recent toll fee hike that came into effect on April 1. Srinivasan described the hike as exorbitant, adding that it further burdens the financial well-being of the common man.

Srinivasan also pointed out the Thirumangalam toll plaza, which is located just 500 metres from the corporation limit, claiming that it violates the rules. He also referred to the DMK’s election promise to remove toll plazas located on the periphery of urban local bodies in the State.