Wed Feb 12 17:22:27 UTC 2025: ## Parliament Committee Demands Review of National Highway Toll Tax Rules

**New Delhi, February 12, 2025** – The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, has called for a comprehensive review of the rules governing toll tax on National Highways. The committee, during a meeting on Wednesday, expressed concern that the current system, based on 2008 rates, is outdated and no longer reflects the significantly increased vehicular traffic.

The PAC noted that the higher volume of vehicles has led to increased revenue collection, suggesting a reduction in the base toll rates per kilometer. Furthermore, the committee criticized concessionaires for failing to uphold their contractual obligations, including road maintenance, safety improvements, and provision of passenger amenities. Long queues at toll plazas, despite the introduction of FASTags, were also highlighted, with the Paliyekkara Toll Plaza on NH 544 cited as a specific example of non-compliance.

While the government presented its pilot project utilizing Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) for barrier-free tolling, several PAC members raised concerns about potential privacy implications. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and relevant officials have been instructed to review the existing NH Fee Rules, 2008, and address the issues raised by the committee.

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