Demonetisation: Toll collection on National Highways to resume from 2 December midnight

New Delhi: The toll collection on National Highways, which was halted in the wake of withdrawal of high-value notes, will resume from the midnight of 2 December. “The toll collection on National Highways will resume from 2 December midnight,” a Road Ministry official said. To ensure smooth traffic flow and reduce currency hardships, the government announced on 24 November that it has further extended the date for toll exemption on National Highways till midnight of 2 December. [caption id=“attachment_3107190” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] The government had also earlier said the scrapped Rs 500 notes would be accepted at toll plazas on National Highways from 2 December midnight to 15 December. As per the plan, sufficient swipe machines will be installed at toll booths with help from SBI and other banks in order to facilitate payments and easy flow of traffic. The government had earlier announced its decision to keep the toll collection in abeyance till 11 November midnight, which was later extended to 14, 18, 24 November and later to 2 December. The decision was taken to ensure smooth traffic flow across all National Highways and provide relief to the cash-strapped people lining up outside banks and ATMs after Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were scrapped. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ban on such notes to tackle corruption and black money, the government had on 9 November said no toll fee would be collected on NHs till 11 November midnight. The government’s earlier decision to accept the withdrawn notes at the toll plazas led to chaos in the absence of adequate change, causing massive traffic snarls.