Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari rules out stopping of highway toll collection

Mumbai: Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari has ruled out any exemption from toll collection at the national highways, saying people should pay if they want good services. The minister said toll collection can “never go” if funds are to be raised for constructing roads under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model. [caption id=“attachment_4322737” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of Union minister Nitin Gadkari. PTI[/caption] “The toll (collection) will never go. The toll will be there. If you want good services, you will have to pay for it,” Gadkari said at a function of the PTI employees unions here last night. Expressing concern over the rising instances of road accidents, he said his ministry is working towards ensuring safe travel on the highways. As many as 1.46 lakh people had lost their lives in 4.60 lakh road accidents across the country in 2017, he said. The demand for toll waiver has been a long-standing one with NGOs and Opposition parties like the Raj Thackeray- led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena pushing the case.