MPs to get smart tags for toll-free passage

Finding a way out to avoid inconvenience to Members of Parliament at

toll plazas so that they don't have to pay the user fee, government

will provide two smart tags for their official vehicles. These tags

will be issued under the exempt category.



Sources said that the road transport ministry will start this exercise

soon since MPs in different parliamentary panels have claimed it's a

hassle in getting exemption from paying toll and also at certain

plazas they are made to pay. A couple of MPs raised this issue at the

subordinate legislation committee meeting on Tuesday. One of them said

while his vehicle gets exemption from paying toll when he is in the

car on his way to airport, his driver has to pay when he returns.



TOI on February 14 had first reported how MPs had raised concern over

the hassle that they face at toll plazas while showing their identity

cards to avail the exemption and the issue was included in the agenda

of House Committee. It was subsequently discussed at the meeting.



Road ministry officials said issuance of two tags to each legislator

will solve their problem. Sources said, the government had exempted

MPs from paying toll till 2008 but this concession was withdrawn.

Later in 2010, the facility was restored. So, there is no uniformity

across toll plazas on allowing free passage to MPs.



Sources said that some members of the subordinate committee also

raised the issue of providing some relief to the users of public

transport, particularly buses, from paying toll charges. They also

recommended that the agencies including NHAI must provide adequate

service road facility along the tolled highways for smooth flow of

local traffic.



TOI has learnt that some of the members raised the issue of truckers

bypassing toll plazas by taking village roads to avoid paying user

fee. They also quizzed officials about the steps being taken to end

this menace. "We raised this issue since all the future projects will

be built with 100% government funding. Any loss in toll collection

will impact the government's revenue," said Congress MP, T Subirami

Reddy, who is also chairman of the panel.