Govt to levy toll on trucks carrying minerals, wood

 The State Cabinet, on Tuesday, decided to levy a toll ranging between Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 per truck depending on the type of ore and the quantity being carried. Toll collected would be channelised for the maintenance of roads. As per the draft guidelines, toll for iron ore-laden truck per trip is likely to be fixed at Rs 1,000. However, the toll on truck carrying wood/granite is likely to be Rs 500 and on sand-laden truck toll is between Rs 500 and Rs 200.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Home Minister V S Acharya said the chief minister will soon constitute a Cabinet committee to work out the modalities and also finalise the stretches for which the toll could be levied upon. The committee will be asked to submit its report by November 15 and its recommendations could be implemented immediately thereafter, he added. Following flak for the poor condition of roads, the PWD last year had first mooted the idea of collecting toll from iron-ore laden trucks that use the State roads to reach ports. 

According to an estimate  damage caused to roads by these trucks is around Rs 1,400 crore per annum. Trucks carrying minerals have been blamed for eroding roads, especially stretches linking Bellary and its surrounding mine-rich areas to Mangalore and Karwar ports.