Rs 1,000-crore loss: Farmers’ stir takes toll on NHAI revenue
Deepender Deswal
Hisar, July 15
The free passage through toll plazas during the farmers’ agitation has come at a cost. The National Highway Authority Highway of India has pegged the total revenue loss during the two phases of farms’ stir (December 2020-December 2021 and February 12-March 3, 2024) at Rs 1,000 crore.
In order to provide relief to build-operate-transfer (BOT) concessionaires, the toll period will be extended equal to the length during which they were prevented from collecting the fee.
The abovementioned information has come to the fore following an RTI application filed by The Tribune. The NHAI, in its response, has clarified that it had not granted any permission for blocking, erecting barricades and digging up of highways. Nor did it incur any expenses in the repair of the affected roads.
The Haryana Government had dug up roads and erected barricades on many highways to prevent farmers from proceeding to Delhi during the two phases of the agitation.
NHAI’s Project Implementation Unit (PIU), Ambala, has said there has been a revenue loss of Rs 681.02 crore at five toll plazas on NH-44 and NH-152 during the agitation.
The maximum loss was calculated at the Gharaunda toll (NH-44) at Rs 304.70 crore in the first phase and Rs 4.91 crore in the second. Ghaggar toll, too, calculated a loss of Rs 151.95 crore and Rs 98.55 crore during the two phases, respectively.
Besides, PIU, Sonepat, calculated a revenue loss of Rs 341.61 crore to six toll companies at Bhagan (NH-44), Chhara (NH 334B), Rohad (NH-9), Makrauli and Dahar (NH-709) and Kitlana (NH-148 B).
PIU, Ghaziabad, showed a toll loss of Rs 15.40 crore on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway from December 2, 2020, to January 31, 2021. It said the traffic movement remained suspended on the route for 11 months during the first phase of agitation and recommended the DMs to take action against the “rioters”. The NHAI urged the DMs to impose recovery of Rs 167.77 crore on the “rioters” and to take legal action. PIU offices in Bhiwani and Hisar, however, refused to divulge any information.
