Government is working on a plan to address grievances of highway commuters who pay toll even when the roads are dug up and under construction. "This is a bone of contention but we are addressing it," Road Transport and Highways Minister C P Joshi said. It is quite often that the commuter is charged toll for using a highway which is being widened. He ends up paying the user charges and still gets stuck for hours on the highways in traffic jams,as the usable stretch at certain places is only half a lane. "When you build a road and simultaneously charge toll,it gives displeasure to the user. There is a fallacy in our rules . we have to do something about it," Joshi said. Giving example of Delhi-Jaipur Highway,he said the user is paying for four lanes which were constructed several years ago. Now,it is only being upgraded to six lanes. However,he agreed that in the process of further widening from four to six lanes,the commuter is left at many places with a narrow stretch of road and has to suffer long tariff blockades. Meanwhile,Joshi admitted that it would not be possible for the government to achieve the target of building 20 km of roads a day at least for three years. "If everything is positive and if we award 9,500 km every year for three years,then we can achieve building 20 km of roads a day target," Joshi said. Asked whether the target set by his predecessor Kamal Nath was over-ambitious,Joshi said,".with all good intention we had announced 20 km". Nath had announced building 35,000 km in five years,which translated into 20 km a day. Nath,who has since moved to the Urban Development Ministry,had announced the target immediately after the UPA-II assumed office in 2009. Under the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI),at present 10-12 km roads per day are being built. The NHAI,which is responsible for 76,000 km of highways,had awarded contracts for 7,957 km in the 2011-12 financial year. "This year,we have set a target of awarding 9,500 km," Joshi said,adding,"Road award is a process. Once the competition is there . The day we award and the day we start construction,on an average it takes three years,provided the stretch does not fall under the Wildlife area".
