No toll exemption for paramilitary staff

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 5

Even as a controversy over toll operators charging user fees from armed forces personnel in violation of statutory provisions continues, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MRTH) has rejected the Ministry of Home Affairs’ (MHA) proposal to exempt members of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) from paying toll on national highways.

The MHA, seeking toll exemption for members of CAPFs, Assam Rifles and the National Security Guard on the production of identity cards when travelling in civilian clothes, had taken up a case with the MRTH.

The MRTH has stated that under provisions of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, exemption is available only to vehicles being used for official purposes on the production of requisite documents and certificates. No exemption is available for personal vehicles.

The exemption was sought on the lines of similar benefit being given to armed forces personnel under the Indian Tolls Act. Armed forces personnel are exempted from paying toll even when not on duty. The Act does not cover CAPFs and para-military forces.

Of late, however, there have been complaints that operators are charging toll from armed forces personnel on the basis of a communiqué issued by the MRTH saying private vehicles of armed forces personnel are not exempted from toll.

Armed forces personnel, however, said the communiqué, based on file notings of a law officer in the ministry, had misrepresented facts and an executive order could not override statutory provisions of an Act.