From the 32-lane toll plaza on Gurgaon expressway, the toll collected has been increased by Rs 60 lakh in a single month after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) commissioned a survey to monitor collections. This was stated by the NHAI before the Delhi High Court on October 28.
NHAI alleged that the private company manning the toll plaza was siphoning the toll collections.
According to NHAI, the NHAI employed KPMG survey, which estimated the traffic volumes on the road, proved that the private concessionaire operating the expressway ‘can’t be trusted’ because it had been under- reporting the traffic.
The NHAI’s advocate told the court that the operator is receiving money but not accounting (it). The NHAI-initiated survey found that the handheld devices with which they collect toll during peak hours are not connected to the main server for escrow accounts. Same is the case with extra toll booths they set up. This money was not accounted for, the advocate claimed before the court.
The advocate said that once the survey findings were filed in the HC and a show cause notice on under-reporting of traffic issued to the private operator, Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity (DGSCL). The toll revenue for September, collected in October, increased by Rs 60 lakh, he added.
While the NHAI is alleging that DGSCL was siphoning of the toll collections by under-reporting the traffic, the DGSCL claimed that the KPMG conducted survey is erratic one.
DGSCK further said that variation of toll revenues across months is quite possible. Traffic volumes and revenues in the festive months of September and October were always higher than the holiday and monsoon months of July and August.
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