The Central government has come up with a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that no toll plaza be laid down in the new national highways less than 60km from the center of the State. The reform is designed to make commuting more convenient and easier to pick up tolls throughout the nation’s growing highway system.
New guidelines have also been in effect with the government setting up a high-level committee including senior officers to keep an eye on the implementation and its observance of straddling the SOP. The panel will ensure adherence to the new norms and provide oversight on any deviations during the process of planning and construction of a highway project.
The new policy aims to alleviate congestion on toll roads by limiting the number of tolls to be paid by drivers for short trips. The officials say they hope the provision will help to smooth the flow of motor traffic on the highways and help to enlarge the window for open and secret posts.
The authorities tasked with developing highway systems will have to follow the 60km minimum distance principle during the design of new toll development, the SOP said. At regular intervals, the high-level review will be conducted on projects to assure adherence to the guidelines with no exceptions.
The order will impact millions of users of the national highways in India that are used for commuting to work and fares daily. This also supports the Government’s wider goals to boost the quality of the road network and the travelling experience.
The Ministry will be expected to provide operational guidelines to the implementing agencies to the agencies implementing existing and upcoming highway projects will be subjected to a review based on the new SOP. The government has stressed that the compliance will be stringent which will have to be done in a uniform manner across the country.