The toll tax being imposed all over India on the National Highways is arbitrary,unreasonable,discriminatory and unjustified. The Constitution forbids any restrictions on inter-state trade and commerce. The Expressways are public property and private companies cannot levy any tax or duty on vehicles. The Private companies are making enormous profits at the expense of the public exchequer. A CAG audit should be conducted into the whole toll tax business.
There are four main reasons for the abolition of toll:_
1) It is unreasonable and discriminatory. While expensive passenger vehicles are charged less toll,cheaper public transport and Goods vehicles have to pay higher toll. This has a cascading effect on the prices of goods and commodities which directly affects the poor! Between Panchgani,Maharashtra and Baroda,Gujrat there are almost 75 toll points where toll is levied on every vehicle except MLAs,Ministers,Bureaucrats and MPs. Rates vary from Rs.50/- to Rs.2500/- depending on the make and nature of vehicle.Buses,Trucks and other public transport and goods vehicles have to pay huge amounts while private vehicles have to pay minimal amount.
2) It is an unreasonable restriction on inter-state trade and commerce which is forbidden by the Constitution and must be struck down being violative of Article !9 of The Constitution.
3) It is anti-poor since any toll on Public carriers immediately affects the prices of essential Commodities.
4) In no civilized country any toll is collected from vehicles on National Highways.
The Supreme Court must take suo-moto notice and strike it down with immediate effect
new state. All that the Parliament has to do is to approve the creation of Telengana by a simple majority.The people of Telengana should intensify their struggle for a seperate Telengana and force the Government to immediately bring a resolution before Parliament beginning on 5th August for creation of Telengana. I am sure the majority of the political parties will support Telengana.
