Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Congress MP KC Venugopal, has highlighted serious concerns over the transparency and fairness of the country’s tolling regime.
The panel also raised alarm over the practice of perpetual tolling, which was made possible through an amendment to the Fee Rules in 2008 and further formalised in 2023.
In its latest report on the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the PAC observed that toll is being collected on several National Highway stretches that are incomplete or are partly closed due to maintenance.
Calling for strict monitoring by MoRTH and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the panel suggested imposition of strong penalties on contractors or concessionaires, where toll was collected in this manner.
