The newly installed Toll Plaza by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at Lakhanpur in district Kathua on Jammu-Pathankot National Highway NH-44 has been inaugurated. The inauguration was made by Ajay Kumar Rajak, Project Director, NHAI. He informed on the occasion that the toll collection for completed 4-lane section from Lakhanpur to Jammu was supposed to commence in the year 2012. It was decided to handover the existing old Lakhanpur Toll Plaza to NHAI for the purpose of user fee collection in accordance with the National Highway (determination of rates and collection of fee) rules, 2008. Now therefore, the user fee collection for the section from Lakhanpur (Km. 16+350) to Samba (Km. 65+00) is being done at Lakhanpur Fee Plaza at Km. 16+400. The toll rates for the Lakhanpur Toll Plaza have been widely publicized through newspaper advertisements. He said user fee collection for the section from Lakhanpur (Km. 16+350) to Samba (Km. 65+00) will be done at Lakhanpur Fee Plaza at Km. 16+400 i.e. 48.65 Km length of National Highway. He said 12 lane Toll Plaza has been developed for smooth and fast collection of user fee. The ETC (FASTag) Infrastructure has been installed for electronic toll payment by the road commuters. Further, there are allotted dedicated lane for buses, trucks, LMV and exempted & VIP Lanes. NHAI is charging the user fee as per the rates issued through Gazette notification published by Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways, Government of India on 04.3.2014 in the official Gazette of India and calculated as per NH Fee Rules, 2008 (as amended). Daily remittance Rs. 13,94,602+TCS 1.5% i.e. Rs. 20919 = Rs. 14,15,521, he added. Monthly pass facility at Rs. 275 per month can be availed by locals residents residing within 20 km distance from the Toll Plaza for personal non-commercial vehicles only. He said on return journey within 24 hours the FASTag account is automatically debited with half the applicable toll rate on returning. Commercial vehicles registered in the same district i.e. Kathua will be charged 50% of the toll rates (except vehicles plying on National Permit), he added. He said monthly pass through FASTag facility can be activated at Toll Plaza then it can be recharged every month from home by using my FASTag app. Active FASTag, RC & Identity Proof (Address should be same on both RC and ID Proof), he added. All discounts are available through FASTag only. Also, through FASTag commuters can save time, fuel and pollution can be avoided. It was also stated that the two toll plazas of Lakhanpur and Thandikhui are more than 71.9 KM apart and hence in accordance with the 60 KM criteria applicable for only those toll plazas which are on the same section of National Highway. User Fee for 48.65 KM of National Highway is to be collected at Lakhanpur Toll Plaza. Rajak said, “Toll Plazas are the strength of the roads. All the money collected through tolls will be utilized in giving better road infrastructures in the country”.”People will feel the difference on the road and their drive will become safer and smoother with every passing day,” he added.
