Gujarat govt exempts small vehicles from paying toll tax

The Gujarat government on Monday implemented its decision of exempting small vehicles from paying toll on 27 plazas on the 12 state highways, state Minister Pradeep Sinh Jadeja said.

The vehicles include car and jeeps. Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation buses have also been exempted from paying toll tax at the said plazas, the Minister of State for Home and Energy said.

The Minister was addressing a gathering at the Vadodara-Halol state highway which has become toll free from today.

"This (decision) comes as a relief to around 86,000 vehicles passing the 12 state highways daily. The state government will bear the toll tax and it will not be collected from people," Jadeja said.

According to the Minister, the state exchequer will incur an additional expense of Rs 150 crore following this exemption.

The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) will save Rs 20 crore per year after the tax exemption and this benefit will be passed on to consumers, he added.

The 12 state highways that have become toll-free from today are Ahmedabad-Mehsana, Vadodara-Halol, Ahmedabad-Viramgam-Maliya, Halol-Godhra-Shamlaji, Rajkot-Jamnagar-Vadinar, Himmatnagar Bypass,

Kim-Mandvi Highway, Bhuj-Nakhatarana Highway, Kapadwanj-Modasa, Deesa-Gundri, Vadodara-Chhayapur and Bagodara-Bamnasore.