NHAI puts new toll rates on hold ahead of Lok Sabha elections: Report

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued an order for the temporary halt to toll operators across the country

In relief to travelers, the Central government is putting on hold its plan to hike toll taxes across national highways from April 1, according to a report by ET Now.

National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has issued an order for the temporary halt to toll operators across the country, the report said.

Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

The annual revision of toll hikes, which was expected to be in the range of of five-seven percent, was to come into effect for all the highways under NHAI from April 1.

Although, this is likely to bring some relief for commuters, it was the first time ever that a regular revision of toll hikes was put on hold during elections, according to a report by The Times of India. The new rates will be implemented once the elections are over.

Recently, the Union road ministry had announced that toll will soon be calculated with the help of GPS technology, under which the charges will be based on the distance covered. It has also said that the toll rates will come down by 40 percent in places where the initial investment of the capital has been recovered.

Mumbai's Rajiv Gandhi Bandra Worli Sea Link was expected to see an increase of 18 percent in toll charges. According to the new rates, one-way trips for cars and jeeps would cost Rs 100, while owners of tempos, minibuses and other such vehicles would be paying Rs 160. Under the earlier rates, cars and jeeps paid Rs 85, while minibuses and light commercial vehicles had to shell out Rs 130.