The toll charges are raised typically every year on the first day of April.
Toll Tax Rates: If you were thinking that starting Monday, April 1 you would have to pay an increased toll charge then there is news for you.
It is good news!
The toll charges that are usually increased in India every year on April 1 at the start of the new financial year, will not be hiked for the next two months. This is because the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been implemented across the country since the announcement of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.
“The revision of user fee (toll) rates with effect from April 1 has been put on hold after taking permission from the Election Commission,” a senior official from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said while talking to the news agency Reuters.
Over Rs 5,40,000 crore were collected in FY23 as compared to Rs 2,52,000 crore in FY19, as per Reuters. The increase has been attributed to the increased toll taxes and the setting up of more toll plazas.
The Role Played By Election Commission of India
The Election Commission of India (ECI) earlier told the NHAI that new rates would be applicable only after the Lok Sabha elections. The ECI, however, asked the state-owned authority to proceed with calculating the new toll rates, reports news agency PTI.
The annual revision of toll hikes was expected to be in the range of an average of 5 percent and was to come into effect on April 1 for most toll plazas on the highways and expressways across the country.
“The process required for the decision on the power tariff may be continued by the State Electricity Regulatory Commission. However, tariff award shall be made only on the completion of poll in the relevant state, i.e after the poll date/dates in the state.
“In respect of the clarification sought, it is stated that user fee may be seen in context of the power tariff as mentioned in the Commission’s instruction cited above,” the ECI said in a communication to the road ministry on April 1, 2024.
The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.
(With PTI inputs)