JOIN USThe State Government on Tuesday clarified that it did not permit Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Ltd (Nice) to collect revised toll rate for peripheral road and Link road.
However, the State also maintained that toll revision did not amount to violation of the framework agreement by the company.
Replying to a question by Janata Dal-Secular member E Krishnappa, Public Works Department Minister H C Mahadevappa said it had approved toll revision. Krishnappa had sought to know whether the government was aware of “illegal” toll collection by Nice.
He also wanted to know whether the company was supposed to collect toll till it built concrete roads under the framework agreement.
“The company, in connivance with government officials, has violated the framework agreement and is collecting higher toll. Is the government is aware of it?” he asked.
In his written reply, the minister said the company was allowed to collect toll on August 18, 2008. On January 1, 2010, and February 5, 2011, the State government issued notifications to revise the toll.
Pointing out that Nice had sought to issue a notification revising the toll for 2012 and 2013, he said the State government had directed the company to file a status report on constructing the concrete road as per the original framework agreement.
The minister said the company, as per the agreement, had to build the road with a “rigid pavement design.” Based on a request by Nice, the government on October 14, 2002, gave conditional approval to construct two-lane roads with bitumen topping. The condition was that section A, phase 1 and 2 parts, should be converted into concrete.
Thereafter, the government approved toll collection on August 18, 2008, and subsequently approved toll revisions on January 1, 2010, and February 5, 2011, the minister said.
However, Nice sought permission to revise the toll, stating that instead of a concrete road, it had laid 150 mm thick white topping on the bitumen road.