Highest toll tax collected in FY 2021-22: NHA still facing challenges to enforce maintenance plan

ISLAMABAD: The National Highways Authority (NHA) collected the highest toll tax of Rs35.063 billion in the fiscal year 2021-22, but is facing challenges in carrying out maintenance plan of its road network due to the paucity of funds, it is learnt.

Official documents revealed that the NHA collected Rs134.32 billion under the head of toll tax on toll plaza on Motorways and National Highways during the last five years.

Further, Rs99.35 billion was collected as toll tax on national highways and Rs34.967 billion on motorways.

The highest toll tax collection of Rs35.063 billion was in 2021-22 including Rs 21.776 billion from national highways and Rs 13.287 billion from motorways.

Sources revealed that the revenue collected from toll tax is being spent on maintenance work. However, due to the large road network across the country, the NHA is finding it difficult to cover all roads maintenance on account of the shortage of funds.

The throw-forward of the NHA has accumulated to Rs 1.192 trillion, as a result of inadequate budgetary allocations contrary to the actual demands, which is severely hampering/delaying projects execution.

Official documents revealed that the NHA’s per year demand of funds for the previous few years has remained between Rs 300-350 billion, whereas, allocations in the range of only Rs 105-120 billion have been made available which is less than one-third of the actual demand, resulting in accumulating huge back lock in the shape of throw forward.

The NHA plans and executes road infrastructure projects in line with the vision and strategy of the government to boost the economic growth of the country. Based on the priorities set forth by the government, allocations are proposed in Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) as per the financial phasing plan approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC), while approving project PC-Is.

Due to the non-allocation of funds as per the approved financial phasing plan and committed in the authorisation letter issued by the Planning Commission, the execution of the projects has been severely hampered/delayed.

As a result of inadequate budgetary allocations contrary to the actual demands, the throw-forward has accumulated to the amount of Rs 1.192 trillion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022