Bihar: Pay 5 to 10% more toll tax from today

PATNA: Vehicles travelling on national highways (NHs) will have to pay 5-10% more toll tax from April 1. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revised the taxes for all types of vehicles on different routes. The hike is based on wholesale price index (WPI) under the provisions of NH Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008.
As per the new rates, the toll tax for cars or smaller vehicles and buses were increased by Rs5 to Rs10 per trip while heavy vehicles (with six wheels) will have to pay Rs 25 to Rs30 more. The vehicles having more than six wheels will be charged for and Rs 30 to Rs 40 as toll tax.

According to NHAI officials in Bihar, there are 26 toll plazas across the state, including one in Patna, and the rates are decided on various parameters, including the length of the road and WPI. The officials said the commuters can pay toll tax in the range of 5-10% for the round trip as well while the vehicles using monthly passes can use the pass for a maximum 50 trips.
The expressway toll fee is being collected at a rate of Rs2.19 per kilometre.
In Patna, the Dirdarganj toll plaza is on Patna-Bakhtiyyarpur four-lane, which caters to more than 20,000 vehicles per day. Braj Nandan Choudhary, general manager of the toll plaza, told TOI that the rates at Didarganj have been increased by 5.22% from April 1.
He said the total length of Patna-Bakktiyyarpur road is around 50.4km while generally the next plaza is located at 60km distance. "So, cars, jeeps, vans and other small vehicles will be charged Rs130 per trip, instead of Rs125 on the Patna-Bakhtiyarpur four-lane," Choudhary said.He added: "The owners of light commercial vehicles and minibuses will now have to pay Rs 200, instead of Rs190, while bus and truck (six-wheel) will have to pay Rs400, instead of Rs380. Vehicles with more wheels will now be charged Rs605 instead of Rs 575. The rates for round trips and monthly passes have also fixed accordingly."
Meanwhile, All India Road Transport Workers Federation, Bihar, has protested against the hike in toll tax on NHs. Its general secretary Rajkumar Jha said the road tax is collected while purchasing the vehicle.
Road charges were also paid by the heavy vehicles annually and now they have to pay additional toll tax.