Big change may happen soon at Delhi borders after "nuisance" remark by Gadkari prods govt into action
Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena have acknowledged the need for starting a serious push to eliminate physical entry fee collection booths located at the city's borders, The Times of India reported on June 5. This move came after Union Road Transport Minister
Nitin Gadkari
took strong issue with the existing system, labelling these booths a "nuisance" for commuters.
Following Gadkari's observations, both Gupta and Saxena acknowledged the need for a fresh approach to revenue generation for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), which currently earns approximately Rs 800-900 crores annually from these entry fees, ToI's report (by Dipak K Dash) said.
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"Huge harassment"
Gadkari highlighted the significant disruptions caused by the fee collection booths. He stated that they lead to "huge harassment" for commuters, resulting in wasted time and increased congestion on main roads.
The minister proposed that the Delhi government explore alternative revenue sources, such as property development or a minor additional charge on vehicles, to offset the loss of income from the removal of these booths.
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During the meeting, Gadkari mentioned that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to seek a Supreme Court ruling to halt the collection of the Environment Compensation Charge (ECC) or green cess.
However, Saxena expressed optimism that the issue could be resolved without resorting to judicial intervention, stating that a solution would be found soon.
MCD officials raised concerns about the potential impact on their annual budget, which totals around Rs 5,000 crores, if the entry fees were eliminated.
Other attendees at the meeting included Delhi's Public Works Minister Parvesh Verma, Environment Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and MoS Harsh Malhotra. Their discussions also covered ongoing national highway projects.
It may be noted here that iIn a previous meeting, top officials from both the Delhi government and the MCD had already agreed to implement a Multi-Lane Free Flow toll and entry fee collection system to eliminate the need for physical booths.
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