In what comes as a relief to the transport operators, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is to allow discounts to state carriage buses. The decision comes following the demand of the private and minibus operators of the state to allow relaxations in the toll to be paid by the private and minibuses using the National Highways.
The demand was reiterated during a recent meeting between the bus operators, NHAI and the state Transport Department. According to the NHAI, the owners of local commercial vehicles registered within the district are supposed to be given a relaxation of 50 percent as per rule 9 of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Also, under the provision, a complete exemption from the payment of toll fees to the local private non-transport/commercial vehicles is permissible. The NHAI has asked the private and minibus operators to submit the list of state carriage buses to the respective Executing Authority or the Concessionaire of NHAI through the Transport Department for availing the discount.
Meanwhile, the Motor Vehicle Section of the District Magistrate and Collector Office in Howrah has written to the NHAI office in Salt Lake seeking exemption of toll fees for vehicles on poll duty at toll plazas under the latter’s jurisdiction. Notably, the NHAI has also decided to provide the list of ambulances, contact persons, notified toll rates and GPS coordinates to the state Transport Department.