Thousands of crores being looted in name of toll tax: Hooda

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said the people of Haryana were being looted in the name of toll tax as he pointed out that in many cases, toll tax continued even after companies had recovered several times the investment made.

Giving the example of Ghaggar toll plaza, Hooda said the cost of road construction was Rs 2,747 crore and the collection was Rs 4,489 crore, yet the toll was not being closed. He said thousands of crores of rupees were being looted from the people of Haryana in the name of tolls in this way.

He said the latest information revealed through an RTI had made it clear that in collusion with the BJP government, companies were making profits several times the cost in the name of toll tax. He said this was happening at a time when the common people were being hit by taxes and inflation.

"As many as 57 toll plazas in Haryana are engaged in collection today. The tax collection period for Ghaggar and Gharaunda toll has ended. The companies have earned much more profit than the cost accrued. Despite this, the collection of crores of rupees from the general public continues. There are many such toll plazas in the state, whose period has either ended or the cost and profit have been recovered. According to the rules, they should be closed, but due to the connivance of the government, people are still being looted,” he stated.

“The rule is also that there should be a distance of at least 60 kilometers between two tolls, but in Haryana, from GT Road to Sohna and Gurgaon, there are many such tolls, where illegal collection is being done in a distance of less than 60 kilometres. The surprising thing is that the government is not even ready to reply to RTI queries on tolls where these illegal collection continue,” he added, and demanded that this unrestrained loot from the public should stop.