New Delhi: The government on Thursday extended the date for toll fee exemption on National Highways till the mid-night of November 24 to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
It has earlier announced to keep the toll collection in abeyance till November 11 mid-night which was later extended to November 14 and then November 18.
"For smooth traffic movement across all National Highways, toll collection has now been suspended till mid-night of November 24," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said.
The decision has been taken to ensure smooth traffic flow across all National Highways and provide relief to the cash-starved people lining up outside banks and ATMs after Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were demonetised.
Instructions have been issued to all concessionaires, including BOT (build-operate-transfer), OMT (operate-maintain-transfer) operators and other fee collection agencies about the extension of the toll suspension date.
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes to tackle corruption and black money, the government had on November 9 said no toll fee would be collected on National Highways till November 11 midnight.
The government's earlier decision to accept the withdrawn notes at toll plazas till November 11 mid-night led to chaos in the absence of adequate change, causing massive traffic snarls.
"We reviewed the situation and decided to suspend the collection of fees," Gadkari had said.
Asked about the loss due to non-collection of toll fee, Gadkari was categorical that the government will bear it.
