Toll Plaza for maintenance and construction of highways: Look the condition of Shillong-Guwahati Highway

A Toll road is also known as a turnpike or tollway or toll plaza. It is a public or private road( almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or toll) is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented to help recoup the costs of road construction and maintenance.

Toll roads have existed in some form since antiquity, tolls are levied.

Every Highway in India that is the state highway or the national highway is taxed by the Indian Government for raising funds and their maintenance. These funds are necessary to provide certain infrastructure and needs. It also allows us to travel comfortably through states, cities, and towns conveniently.

The Road tax is calculated based on factors like engine capacity, seating capacity, unladen weight, and cost price. However, all states will have different rules and regulations concerning taxes.

However, toll Gates are not completely under the control of the Indian Government. Usually, a tender is awarded to a private company to collect revenue at a prescribed rate while they have to pay the Government a certain fixed amount.

The Pahammawlein Toll Plaza (Umiam Jorabat Expressway) Meghalaya

The Pahammawlein toll plaza is in the Shillong Gauhati National Highway in Meghalaya. The database was collected from the Department of Economic Affairs, Jorabat- Barapani section from km 0 to 61.8 of NH 40 under SARDP, NE Phase A on a BOT Annually basis. The project involved four laning of the Jorabat- Shillong ( Barapani)  section from 0 km to 61.800km on NH-40 under SARDP-NE in Meghalaya.

The name of the Authority National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the name of Concessionaire was Jorabat Shillong Expressway Limited, the Date of Concession Agreement signed was 16th July 2010, Date of Commercial Operation was 11 January 2014, and the Concession End Date 11 January 2031. The project cost as per the concession agreement was Rs.536 crore.

Pahammawlein Toll Plaza/Gate Charges/Rates/Fees

Vehicle Type	Single	Return	Monthly	Commercial
Car/Jeep/Van	65	100	2210	35
LCV	105	160	3570	55
2 Axle Bus, Truck	225	335	7475	110
3 Axle Bus, Truck	245	365	8155	120
4,5,6 Axle Bus, Truck	350	530	11725	175
7 Axle Bus, Truck	430	640	14270	215
Heavy Vehicle	350	530	11725	175
Local Monthly Pass LT1:	265.00	LCV Daily Pass:
Local Monthly Pass LT2:		Truck Daily Pass

However, as per the fee effective from April 1, 2021, buses and trucks have to pay Rs 410 for the return journey while vehicles above seven or more wheels have to shell out Rs 780 for a two-way journey.

Illegalities at Pahammawlein (Umiam Jorabat Expressway) Toll Plaza, Meghalaya

According to the reports, In Pahammawlein toll plaza Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district allegedly assaulted a tourist taxi driver by toll personnel and locals on February 2021.

Sources said the taxi driver was beaten up and the windshield of the taxi  (ML 05 L 1345) smashed by toll staffers along with locals following an alteration over toll fee.

The driver alleged that the toll staffers demanded Rs.160 instead of Rs.80 for one way and when he denied paying the amount they called other toll staff to detain the car and subsequently assaulted him.

The toll staffers on the other hand alleged that the taxi driver recorded videos of the female staff at the toll plaza. An FIR had also been lodged against the matter in the Byrnihat Police Station.

Another incident took place early this year when some illegalities had taken place at the NHAI toll plaza at Umling- Jorabat Expressway. At the beginning of the year, a video went viral on social media of an altercation between a staff and a driver over toll fees.

Since the video got viral, commercial drivers, who pass through the tollgate every day, have alleged that a series of financial irregularities allegedly takes place at the government establishment.

A tourist driver told ‘The Shillong Times’ that he had a FASTag Registration and he was not stopped while he was on his way to Gauhati and everything went on smoothly until he returned. En route to Shillong, the driver was asked to stop and was told that his FASTag was not functioning. According to the driver, the attendant at the toll plaza directed the driver to pay Rs 180 officially. However, if he wanted, he could be allowed to pass through by just paying Rs 100 and without a receipt.

Another tourist taxi driver admitted that occasionally he does not even pay the toll tax but only Rs 50 to some boys who are seen near the toll plaza, following which passes using the VIP lane.  

DEPLORABLE CONDITION OF THE SHILLONG GAUHATI NATIONAL HIGHWAY

Though the lifeline of the State Meghalaya is NH-40- an all-weather road connecting Shillong with Gauhati, through which it is connected to major cities and states with the rest of the country yet the deplorable condition of the road not only hamper the delivery of services but also prevents the emergence and growth of markets.

The poor maintenance of the 68km Umiam Jorabat Expressway has once again come up with scrutiny as the condition of the highway is horrendous, all thanks to the potholes. However, there has never been made a compromise in Toll taxes.

Citizens are paying for the infrastructure and maintenance through toll taxes than why do the citizens need to suffer. There were instances when road communication between Shillong and Gauhati remained cut off due to landslides triggered by rainfall, bringing the traffic along the National Highway NH-40 to a standstill. Hundreds of vehicles used to get stranded on the Assam and Meghalaya sides. This ultimately affects the citizens as there are people suppose to reach the railway station or airport at Gauhati, emergency services become disrupted due to such instances. But why should the people suffer if they are paying for the infrastructure and maintenance without fail, then what the concerned authority is doing. The infrastructure and condition of the highway should be maintained efficiently as NH-40 links Assam with Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram along with Southern Assam’s Barak Valley.

According to recent reports, a tourist vehicle driver expressed his displeasure when he shared his experience, he said that for the return journey, they have to pay Rs120 every day provided that they have FASTag. He added that they have to shell out more than double of that, i.e. 320 for the return journey, which is not acceptable.

Another tourist exclaimed that ” the people are paying toll tax without fail, then why this road is not being maintained at all”.

The highway consists of potholes ranging from different sizes, which causes great inconvenience to the passers-by. Many of them argue that when they are being levied the toll tax then they also deserve a smooth and safe driving or riding experience, the disastrous condition of the road is also a concern for their safety and who will be responsible for any untoward incident if happens.

A toll tax is a form of road pricing usually implemented to help recover road and construction and maintenance expenditure. When an individual travels across states or down a highway or an expressway in India, one always comes across at least one toll booth where they have to pay a specific toll tax. In India, a fee is levied for lifting the cost incurred in constructing and maintaining every state or national highway.

What is the need to pay for passing through a highway when one is already paying the government for maintaining infrastructure?

The answer to the question is, it is called PCube – Public-Private Partnership. The Government and the Public entity signs a concession document. As per the agreement, the private entity constructs the roads infrastructure and maintenance. The private entity is free to charge the citizens for using the infrastructure, till they squeezed enough from it.  Two-wheelers and Government vehicles are usually exempted from paying the tax.

This is a double-edged sword. Government-based maintenance is not exactly known for efficiency and infrastructure is not built in time. Citizens have to pay a hefty amount to use the infrastructure whereas the public model does not aim to make a profit. 

It is irrelevant to say the income taxes are not enough to build the infrastructure, it is possible to build infrastructure and maintain by using public funds, there are many reasons which may work against doing so, the efficiency of public machinery is lesser the that of private entities and the public bodies like the NHAI is already stretched to the limit.

$120 Million Loan Signed Between Govt. of India (Meghalaya) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development

On November 19th, 2020, the Government of India, the Government of Meghalaya, and the World Bank today signed a $120 million project to improve and modernize the transport sector of the state of Meghalaya. The project is aimed to improve about 300km of strategic road segments and stand-alone segments and stand-alone bridges by using innovative, climate-resilient, and nature-based solutions. It will also support innovative solutions such as precast bridges to reduce both time and cost of construction, according to the government press release.

Conclusion

Since the establishment of the toll plaza in any state of the country is set to maintain a proper infrastructure and maintenance of the State and National Highways, the citizens are paying the toll tax without fail as they are using these highways. The private entities are free to charge the citizens for using this infrastructure. The loans incurred from the World Bank for the Development and Re-construction of roadways should be utilized efficiently for the development of the states. Generally, Citizens always abide by the rules and regulations set by the Government in paying taxes, they play their part accordingly with an expectation from the other to put in their efforts in an efficient and honest way.