Gujarat to exempt cars and small vehicles from paying toll
As we all know, India is infamous for a lot of things. However, the one thing that typically gets the common man's goat is the poor state of our roads. To rub salt to injury, road users end up paying toll tax, which at times is a reasonably hefty amount, for using certain stretches of roads. Across states, many road users have complained about paying toll tax and some political parties have also carried out protests. Now, Gujarat seems to have found a perfect solution to end the dilemma of the average Indians.
For a change, car and small vehicle owners in Gujarat will be exempt from paying toll tax. The Chief Minister of Gujarat, Anandiben Patel, has announced that this exemption will come into effect from August 15, 2016. She recently tweeted about this from her official handle. It is not yet clear whether the exemption from toll tax will be applicable across Gujarat or on select routes.
While addressing a plantation drive in Valsad district, the chief minister said, "When our brothers [and] sisters from the middle class go out in their cars for work, they have to shell out Rs 100-150 at toll booths. We have decided to exempt from paying toll tax. Bigger vehicles will still have to pay it."
Across other states, road users can only hope and pray that their states too take a similar decision. In reality, however, it is quite possible that the Gujarat government might have taken this decision to appease the masses considering the state assembly elections are set to take place next year.
