No Proposal Under Consideration To Exempt Lmvs From Toll Payments In Rajasthan, Says Dy CM Diya Kumari

(MENAFN- IANS) Jaipur, Feb 13 (IANS) Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Public Works Minister, Diya Kumari, told the state Assembly that residents living within a 20-km radius of the state-controlled toll plazas are eligible for concessional monthly toll passes.

She clarified on Thursday that there is currently no proposal under consideration to exempt light motor vehicles (LMVs) from toll payments across the state.

Responding to supplementary questions raised by MLA Vikram Bansiwal during the Question Hour, Deputy CM Diya Kumari said that toll collection is being carried out on 83 state roads, in addition to national highways.

"Of these, 27 toll roads are managed by the Rajasthan State Highway Authority, 39 by the Rajasthan State Road Development Corporation (RSRDC), 13 by the Rajasthan Infrastructure Development Corporation (RIDC), and four by the Public Works Department (PWD)."

She said that the monthly pass system has been introduced to provide relief to local commuters, who frequently travel through toll plazas for daily work, education, and other essential purposes.

The concessional passes are aimed at reducing the financial burden on residents living near toll corridors, she added.

Earlier, in a written reply to the state Assembly, the Deputy Chief Minister said that a state government notification issued on May 14, 2018, had exempted private non-transport vehicles from toll charges on state highways.

However, this exemption was withdrawn on October 31, 2019, following a policy decision by the state government at that time.

During the previous Vasundhara Raje-led BJP government, private light vehicles were made toll-free on state highways, but the decision was later reversed by the subsequent Ashok Gehlot government, reinstating toll collection on these vehicles.

Diya Kumari reiterated that toll revenue is an important source for maintaining and upgrading road infrastructure, and any policy decisions regarding exemptions are taken after considering financial and administrative implications.

She added that the state government continues to review toll policies to balance infrastructure development needs with public convenience.

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