Centre mulls more toll plazas on NH in Telangana

HYDERABAD: A total of nine national highway stretches passing through Telangana state over an extent of 565 km have been identified by the Centre for Asset Monetisation to generate revenue by way of charging toll amount from road users. New toll plazas would come up on these stretches after handing over them to private players.

The Centre launched National Monetisation Pipeline (NMP) on August 23 to raise Rs 6 lakh crore in four years from 2021 to 2025 by monetising Central government assets such as national highways, airports, railways, power transmission lines, gas pipelines etc across the country. The funds thus raised are meant to be used to boost infrastructure spending and spur economic growth.

Secunderabad railway station has been identified for passenger train operations by private sector players and Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, Hyderabad, (RGIA) for sale of the Centre's 13 per cent stake in the airport.

In Telangana, the stretches identified on national highways for monetisation include Kadthal-Armoor (31 km), Adloor Yellareddy-Chegunta (52 km), Chegunta-Bowenpally (62 km), Telangana/Maharashtra border to Islamnagar (55 km), Armoor-Adloor Yellareddy (59 km), Adloor Yellareddy-Gundlapochampally (86 km), Hyderabad-Bengaluru (NS-2/BOT/AP-7) (75 km), Hyderabad-Bengaluru (6 sections, 68 km) and Kothakota bypass-Kurnool (77 km). The Centre also identified BSNL telecom towers and Bharatnet Fibernet
optic fibre network in Telangana for monetisation.

However, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) officials are not clear about the implementation of asset monetisation of national highways. Official sources in NHAI-Telangana unit said they were yet to receive guidelines from the Centre over how this new system would work. They expect that private firms may take over these stretches by paying an upfront amount to NHAI, set up toll plazas and collect user charges from motorists.