This state to exempt private vehicles from paying toll tax

Commuters in Madhya Pradesh can breathe easy as the state government has decided to exempt private vehicles from paying toll taxes. Thegovernment has decided to implement this decision on the new roads of the State Road Development Corporation.

The Madhya Pradesh government, led by chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has made new provisions in policy related to toll tax.The decision to exempt private vehicles from paying toll tax has been taken by the state government to reduce traffic jam at toll plazas.

Around 200 roads were surveyed by the Public Works Department before taking this decision. Most of the major roads in the state have been constructed by the State Road Development Corporation using the Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) method. The state government has revealed that about 80 percent of the toll tax collected is from commercial vehicles.Only 20 per cent tax is levied on private vehicles.

The decision has been taken to decongest toll plazas. Though private vehicles contribute one fifth of all toll taxes collected, they cause traffic jams often. To avoid such situations, the state transport department proposed to the chief minister to exempt private vehicles from paying toll tax.

According to Neeraj Mandloi, principal secretary of the state transport department, the proposal for imposition of toll tax will now be sent for the approval of the cabinet, the provision of non-collection of tax from private vehicles will not be included.

VIPs are usually exempted from paying toll taxes. This list includes President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Ministers to MPs. Others like judges, magistrates, officials from Defence, Police, Fire Fighting, Ambulances, Automobiles, state and central governments, secretaries and National Highways Authority of India.