Kolkata: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) requested the private bus operators in the state to share the list of state carriage buses to respective executing authority or the concessionaire of the NHAI through the Transport department to avail the benefit of discounts on toll rates.
On behalf of the Bus Owners’ Association, Rahul Chatterjee while referring to a meeting held in 2006 by the Transport department in presence of NHAI officials, had requested for making available discounts on toll rates for the state carriage buses. He had also requested for considering advance monthly collection of toll charges and provisioning of service roads for local vehicles at the toll plaza.
The NHAI official, in the meeting held on May 10, stated that the owners of local commercial vehicles which are registered within the the district are suppose to be granted 50 per cent discounts in terms of provisions of Rule 9 of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. The provision also allows complete exemption of the local private non-transport or commercial vehicles from payment of toll fees. Chatterjee said that it was a long-standing demand of the association. If it is followed with uniformity, it will be considered a help to the transport operators who are anyway worried with the rising fuel rates and operational cost. During the meeting with NHAI, Chatterjee also seeked for uniformity in monthly payment of toll-fee collection throughout the state at all NHAI toll plazas.
In the same meeting, a couple of issues were raised by the Transport department as well. They had requested for the immediate tagging of NHAI ambulances with the nearest Trauma Care Centre or Hospital for the optimal use during the road accidents.
The department had also sought for a regular report on accidents as well as road safety measures taken up by NHAI like rectification of identified black-spots as they would help in filling the existing gaps when it comes to road safety initiatives. The NHAI officials have agreed to share the toll plaza-wise list of ambulances as well as contact persons.