Locals upset over paying toll tax to commute on dilapidated Malerkotla-Nabha-Patiala road

The 56km stretch of Malerkotla-Nabha-Patiala road, known as MDR 32, has two toll tax barriers. And despite this, the road is in a dilapidated state. Commuters and

The 56km stretch of Malerkotla-Nabha-Patiala road, known as MDR 32, has two toll tax barriers. And despite this, the road is in a dilapidated state. Commuters and locals complain that they are paying two ‘expensive’ toll tax for commuting on a bad road.

Last year, the public works department (PWD) had terminated the contract with Supreme Infra Projects, a company which was hired for maintenance of the road, and started collecting the tax on its own. However, even the department did not repair the road and continued collecting toll tax.

In 2011, Maharashtra-based firm, Supreme Infra Projects, had taken over the project from the original concessionaire, which had completed around 70% of the road by 2007. As per the agreement, recarpeting of the road should be done every five years and is to end in 2023.

The Maharashtra-based firm completed the remaining stretch and commenced collecting toll tax from 2012. Relaying of the road has not been done even once since then. Despite this, the government allowed the company to collect toll till 2019.

“The company was delaying recarpeting of the road which was mandated as per the conditions of agreement and therefore, the PWD had to terminate the firm’s contract,” XEN Manpreet Dua said.

“Even the white stripes on the road have faded. It has becomes difficult to drive during fog,” said lawyer Habhagwan Dutt.

“This is not fair as in a judgment, the Supreme Court had said that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and other concessionaires cannot collect toll tax if the road is not in a good condition,” he added.

“Long queue at the toll barrier, expensive toll of ₹51 for a small stretch of 25km and despite all this, one has to travel on a dilapidated road,” said Santokh Singh, who commutes between Nabha and Patiala on daily-basis.

“The Nabha-Malerkotla stretch is far worse,” said a PRTC driver, requesting anonymity.

XEN Dua said that the weather was not suitable for recarpeting of the road and the process will be initiated as soon as the temperature is suitable. He added that the repair work of potholes will be done soon.