AGENCIES, New Delhi: Union Roads and Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said that the government has ordered to temporarily suspend the collection of toll at all toll plazas across India in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in the country.
He added that it will save critical time and reduce inconvenience to the supply of emergency services.
“In view of COVID-19, it has been ordered to temporarily suspend the collection of toll at all toll plazas across India,” Gadkari tweeted.
In view of Covid-19, it has been ordered to temporarily suspend the collection of toll at all toll plaza across India. This will not only reduce inconvenience to the supply of emergency services but also save critical time. #IndiaFightsCorona
— Nitin Gadkari (@nitin_gadkari) March 25, 2020
This will not only reduce inconvenience to emergency services but also save critical time, he said. The minister said maintenance of roads and availability of emergency resources at toll plazas will continue as usual.
Earlier, the road transport and highways ministry had advised the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to follow the home ministry’s guidelines about toll plaza operations following the lockdown, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to curb the spread of the virus.
The prevailing condition may be treated as “Force Majeure” of concession or contract agreement in terms of the finance ministry, Gadkari said.
The NHAI had rolled out the electronic toll collection programme across India in December on its over 500 toll plazas while doubling toll charges from the vehicles entering FASTag lanes without the tag.
