The Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari today announced the extension of exemption of toll on national highways until midnight of December 2, 2016. The decision has been taken to avoid inconvenience to motorists as they get to grips with the sudden scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.
This is the fourth time the government has extended such an exemption at toll plazas. Collection of toll was suspended until midnight of November 11 and was subsequently extended until November 14th, 18th and today, November 24th.
The demonetisation move has inconvenienced citizens across the country, both clean and black money holders. But the exemption of toll has brought given motorists a reason to cheer. Before payment of toll was exempted, toll points witnessed chaotic conditions almost everywhere with drivers running short of cash or change for Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes. Though tolls plazas had been instructed to accept all notes, there was utter confusion at many places with long queues of all kinds of vehicles witnessed within city toll-roads and on highways. There were even a few scuffles.
Moreover, not just shortage of change, many motorists were seen wanting to pay the toll with larger bills in a bid to exchange them for notes of lower denomination. Many toll booths complained that commuters were handing them over Rs 1,000 notes but would not accept Rs 500 notes as change. This soon led to the booths running out of the paper currencies and, therefore, were not left with any money to return.
It may be recalled that the Government of India to curb counterfeits, corruption, and black money hoarding on November 8 announced demonetising of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes from the same midnight. Banks and ATMs were also shut for about two days to make logistical arrangements of replacing the notes with new ones that would be available from Friday, November 11.