To enhance revenue, Communication Ministry has decided to auction all toll plazas on the motorways through open bidding on February 2. Presently 575km motorways having 30 interchanges are generating revenue of Rs 11.1 million per kilometre whereas, it incurs an expenditure of Rs 7 million per kilometre, which compelled the ministry to increase toll at these plazas, informed sources revealed Business Recorder.
A meeting was held in the ministry presided over by the Federal Minister for Communication Dr Arbab Alamgir Khan on the issue of "total solution of motorways". Minister of State for Communications Chaudhry Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, Federal Secretary Communications Sharif Ahmad Khan, IG, NH&MP Dr Wasim Kausar, Chairman NHA Chaudhry Altaf Ahmad and other high officials of NHA also attended the meeting.
The minister was of the view that there was an urgent need to enhance revenue at motorways toll plazas to supplement the national exchequer and to use these funds to provide facilities to road users on the motorways. Sources further revealed that during the meeting representatives from various private firms gave a detailed briefing to the federal minister on setting up recreation parks and other beautification measures on the lands along the motorways.
In the meeting it was decided that a comprehensive and effective mechanism should be devised to enhance revenue at the toll plazas along the motorways. It was also told that 100 million per year is paid to Nadra for E-tag system, whereas, the revenue through this system is at par, so it was decided to eliminate the E-tag system, as the new contractor would provide all satellite tracking system.