Users of national highways in the country have paid Rs 9,283 crore toll in 2012-13 financial year, which is 30 per cent more than the last year figures, said the Union Road Transport Ministry. 74 per cent of the toll sum collected has gone to private road developers like Larsen & Toubro, IL&FS Transportation, Reliance Infrastructure, IRB Infrastructure, Ashoka Buildcon, Sadbhav Engineering, Gammon and HCC, who have got rights to widen the national highways and collect toll.
Tolls are being levied on more highway stretches with 1,000-2,000 km of incremental highways. High inflation levels push up toll rates as the annual toll revision formula is linked to the wholesale price index.
Several public-funded road stretches where toll charges were not revised for four-five years, have started attracting higher rates in the past few years, after NHAI awarded operation-maintenance contracts, the National Highways Authority of India official said.
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