PMK comes out against toll hike in NH, urges Union govt for rollback

Chennai, April 1 (BPNS)

The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has urged the Union government to roll back on the hike in toll charges. PMK president and former Union minister, Dr. Anbumani Ramdoss said that the charges have been hiked in 29 toll plazas in Tamil Nadu and that this was not acceptable.

In a statement on Saturday, the Member of Parliament said, “ It is unacceptable to hike toll rates without improving national highways. The hike is condemnable.”

He said that with the hike in toll prices from April 1, vehicles will have to pay Rs 1.51 per km extra and that this would lead to increase in prices of essential commodities.

Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss said that the state of Tamil Nadu had more than 10 percent of toll plazas in the country and added that of the 6606 km of national highways, toll charges are collected for 5134 km in the state.  The PMK leader said that this works to around 77 percent and was almost four times higher than the national average of 20 percent.

The former Union Minister also recalled a statement by the Union Minister for Highways Nitin Gadkari who said that toll plazas would be rationalized to have one plaza for every 60 kilometers.

He said that the Union minister Gadkari had promised to reduce the rates in 9 toll plazas in Tamil Nadu by 40 percent of the existing charges. He called upon the central government to roll back on the increased hike rates of toll plazas that have come into effect from April 1.