Levying of toll, especially on incomplete highways, united members of the Treasury and the Opposition in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Taking note of the House’s concern, the Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked the Government to take note of the issues being raised and take action wherever necessary.

The matter was raised by Chhedi Paswan, former Janata Dal (United) MLA who joined BJP before the 2014 general elections. He said charging toll on incomplete highways must be termed a criminal offence.

He cited the case of NH2 from Mohansari (Varanasi) to Aurangabad (Bihar), where he alleged that the company (concessionaire) had collected toll amounting to Rs 500 crore.

In reply to Paswan’s question, the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Krishanpal Gurjar said the Government was working towards electronic toll collection system to make it transparent, while adding that toll collection on this particular highway was being done as per the applicable fee rules and provisions of the concession agreement. In the case of six-laning, the concession agreements permits tolling with effect from the appointed date, he added.

However, Opposition members, including from Kerala, insisted that the system lacked transparency and the concessionaires were minting money at the cost of people.

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