The National Highways Authority (NHA) aims to enhance its revenue collection by over Rs 29,202 million per year through rationalization of toll rates and establishment of new toll plazas across the country, Daily Times has learnt reliably.
According to the available documents, the NHA had set target to enhance its revenue by earning Rs 24,882 million per year through rationalization of toll rates while establishment of 55 new toll plazas also under plan by which the authority would generate estimated revenue of Rs 4,330 million every year.
Moreover, the implementation of penalties on vehicles ply without M-Tags on Motorways and new toll taxes across the country is already in place from February 01 and February 05 respectively.
The purpose the move was to enhancement of security, streamline the toll collection process, encourage the use of electronic tags for more efficient and faster travel across Pakistan’s motorway network and to give hike its revenue generation. The NHA generates revenue through various streams. Among these, toll collection from motorways and highways across the country remains one of the primary sources of income for the authority.
The full implementation of the M-Tag policy aims to streamline the toll collection process and encourage the use of electronic tags for more efficient and faster travel across Pakistan’s motorway network.
On the other hand, sources privy to the matter stated that the increase in toll tax and imposition of M-Tag penalties would badly perturb the commuters as it is third time enhancement in such charges in recent span of almost one and half year. This time, as per notification, a 100 per cent M-Tag policy across all motorways in the country was meant. “The vehicles with low balances or those using cash tolls will incur an additional 25 per cent charge on the total tax, with a minimum additional fee of Rs 50,” notification reads.
Overall, as per available information, the NHA has collected Rs 110,000 million to this year as compare to Rs 60,000 million last year. Minister for Communication Abdul Aleem Khan, however, commended these hikes and said that he intends to raise the revenue of NHA by Rs 400,000 in the next 5 years.
The NHA already facing severe financial crunch even it is unable to pay due amounts to the companies who had worked for NHA against awarded contracts. Currently, as per documents, it owes over Rs 73,000 million to various contractors for approximately 40 construction projects nationwide.
The key routes where the toll hikes are supposed to be implemented are included as Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1), Lahore-Abdul Hakeem Motorway (M-3), Pindi Bhattian-Faisalabad-Multan Motorway (M-4), Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M-5), D.I Khan-Hakla Motorway (M-14) and the Mansehra Expressway.
Under the revised rates, cars travelling on the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) will see their toll rise from Rs 460 to Rs 500. Wagons will now be charged Rs 750, up from Rs 720 while buses face an increase from Rs 1,300 to Rs1,450. For trucks, the toll tax will jump from Rs1, 950 to Rs2300.
On national highways, the toll for cars will increase from Rs 50 to Rs 60, wagons will be charged Rs100, and buses will face a new rate of Rs200 against previous rates of Rs170. For 2 and 3-axle trucks, the tax will be Rs250 while articulated trucks will be charged Rs 500 against Rs 460.
On the M-3 motorway from Lahore to Abdul Hakeem, the toll tax for cars has risen from Rs650 to Rs 700. For the M-4 motorway, the toll tax has been raised from Rs850 to Rs950 while on M-5it was raised from Rs1, 050 to Rs1, 100. On the M-14, the toll tax is now Rs 600. In addition, tolls have been raised at key locations such as the Kohat Tunnel (N-55), Islamabad-Murree-Kohala Highway (N-75), and Mianwali Toll Plaza (N-135) with commuters facing higher charges across the board.
Meanwhile, Aleem Khan in a statement expressed his solidarity for Kashmiris, saying that Indian government was shown a mirror by raising voice against the usurper rule in Kashmir around the world especially in Pakistan.
He added that tying Kashmiris in chains of slavery is a reflection of India’s conspiracy against basic rights of citizens of this Valley. He said that the atrocities in the Kashmir are nothing but a story of hollow and deceitful claims of secularism of India.