New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS) AAP MP Raghav Chadha has demanded toll tax exemption for commuters forced to wait more than five minutes at highway toll plazas, while Union Minister Nitin Gadkari assured that by 2026 India will move to a “zero wait time” system using satellite-based tolling.

In a sharp intervention during the Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha raised concerns over delays at toll plazas, calling them a drain on both citizens’ wallets and the economy.

He argued that commuters already pay road and infrastructure cess on vehicles and fuel, yet are burdened further with toll charges. He said, after paying so much money, commuters deserve two basic things: smooth, pothole-free roads and seamless connectivity without endless delays, Chadha said, adding he acknowledges Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) models, under which tolls are collected to recover infrastructure costs.

Chadha highlighted the opportunity costs and fuel wastage caused by prolonged waits at toll booths, which often stretch beyond several minutes.

He proposed a reform: if a vehicle is forced to wait more than five minutes, it should be exempted from paying toll.

Such a measure, he argued, would not only reduce frustration but also incentivise efficiency in toll operations.

Gadkari, however, assured that the government is working on a satellite-based tolling system that will eliminate queues.

“From 2026, even before that, there will be zero wait time. Vehicles will pass at 80 km per hour, cameras will capture number plates and satellite photos, and the toll will be automatically deducted from the user’s bank account,” Gadkari said.

On the issue of road quality, Gadkari clarified that his ministry is responsible only for national highways, not city or state roads.

He admitted that in nearly 70 per cent of complaints, the roads in question were outside his ministry’s jurisdiction.

To improve accountability, he announced stricter measures against contractors, including debarring non-performing firms for two years and even invoking provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) to take punitive action.

–IANS

sktr/dpb