CHANDIGARH: To monitor and streamline vehicular flow, the
Punjab government has decided to engage
drones at major
toll plazas across the state. There are 15 toll plazas on national highways and 23 on state roads.
Public works department (PWD) minister Vijay Inder Singla said on Thursday that the decision had been taken to save time and fuel and to stop cascading effect of highway
traffic on to service lanes and alternate routes. Singla said, “After numerous complaints about long queues and misbehaviour of toll plaza staff, a meeting of plaza operators and the officials of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) was held on Thursday to address the issue.”
The PWD minister said toll plaza operators had been told to spruce up functioning within a month and ensure public facilities at toll plazas as per their contract’s terms and conditions, which includes a fully equipped ambulance, recovery van, drinking water, lighting, toilet facility and sign boards. The minister also directed the toll plaza operators to direct their staff to be courteous to people, construct additional lanes where ever feasible, use additional hand-held machines for toll collection and regular maintenance of BOT roads, berms, edgings and markings.
Since there was no representative from Sona Enterprises responsible for the operation of toll plaza at Laddowal on NH1 near Ludhiana, the PWD has written against the operator to the NHAI for action and temporary permission of free movement of vehicles without toll payment till the operator takes corrective measures.
Representative image