Against govt directives, NHAI charging full tax from local vehicles at Ban Toll Plaza

Ignoring Jammu and Kashmir Government’s directives, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has started charging full road tax from Jammu based vehicles at Ban Toll Plaza.

As per sources, after much hue and cry in first Budget Session of BJP-PDP government this year over making Toll Plaza at Ban, Nagrota operational,   the state Government had asked the NHAI to exempt the local vehicles following which the later cut the toll tax for Jammu district vehicles to 50 percent.

Sources added that from March 20 to May this year NHAI charged only Rs 35 for single journey and Rs 75 for return journey from cars and vans of Jammu district against the actual fee of Rs 75 and 110 respectively.

However,  surprisingly from May the NHAI authorities have started charging full tax amount from the Locals as well.

They said after coming in force of new regime of the toll tax, the commuters and motor owners   entering into verbal and physical fight with the officials at Toll Plaza presents a common scene.

“For a single day trip to Jammu, I have to shell out Rs 150, which is next to impossible for a common man who has limited resources,” said Ram Kumar Sharma, resident of Jindhra village, who is working in a private company at Jammu.

He said that for two months authorities gave concession on daily trips as well as issued  monthly passes, but now it has started charging the full amount from locals too.

On condition of anonymity, a senior NHAI official disclosed that highway authority is yet to receive a written request from state or Government of India to waive off tax for the locals.

“Earlier from March to April the rebate was given to local vehicles on verbal request of Jammu and Kashmir government.  But after that government did  not   sent  any written request, so we are now forced to collect full tax rate as there is no law under which  this discount can be continued,” he said.

On the contrary, Minister of Road and Buildings, Altaf Buhkari claimed that NHAI was still charging half toll fee from all types of vehicles of Jammu district.

“At Ban Toll authorities are directed to give reasonable discount to locals of Jammu district and as per my knowledge they still charge 50% Toll tax from vehicles having Jammu number,” he said.

He added that Jammu and Kashmir government has also effectively taken up the matter of rationalization of toll with Government of India to benefit the people of the state as well as Vaishno Devi pilgrims.

“With consent of MLA of Nagrota and Reasi, we have already sent recommendations to Union Road Transport and Highways Ministry, seeking a rational Toll Policy for Jammu and Kashmir for the benefit of the people of state as well as lakhs of  Vaishno Devi Pilgrims,” he said.

Pertinently, Government of India vide Gazette Notification No. 520 Dated March 01. 2014 S.O. 609(E) has levied fee for use of completed four lane section from Km. 15.000 of Jammu Bypass to Km 67.000 of Jammu Udhampur section of NH-44 (old NH-1A) in the State of J&K.  the actual collection of user fee commenced from midnight of 19 and 20, March 2015 at Ban toll plaza in Km. 22.600 in Jammu District at the prescribed rates for different category of vehicles