Madurai
Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry has condemned the Central government’s decision to increase the National Highways toll fee without any prior notice. The toll fee has been additionally increased, and it has come as a shock to the people, the Chamber said.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, TN Chamber President N. Jegatheesan said that the existing toll fee itself was already high. As it is the general public, trade and industry were suffering from the abnormal prices of petrol and diesel.
Under these circumstances, the additional increase of toll fee increased the financial burden of the people, he said.
The Chamber said that the main function of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was to connect and improve all the states by road. They have a responsibility to build quality roads to promote not only passenger traffic but also essential goods traffic.
But existing roads are not properly maintained by NHAI. The trade and industry have been hit hard by such toll fee hikes and prices of all essential commodities and consumer goods have risen sharply, affecting all walks of life.
In the past, roads were built, and toll fees were collected for a particular period. It was then dedicated to the general public for their usage at free of cost. The Chamber appeals to the Central government that toll fees have to be collected for a particular period for the roads laid and thereafter government should take necessary steps to remove the toll plazas, the Chamber said.
