CHANDIGARH: The BJP-led Union Government has pegged a loss of Rs 1,638.55 crore due to frequent protests and shutting down of toll plazas on National Highways by Punjab farmers.On April 4, Secretary of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, V Umashankar wrote to Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha that the cumulative loss of Rs 1638.85 crore to the central exchequer was due to frequent forced ‘closures’ of toll plazas. The loss was incurred from October 2020 to November 2024.”This has created a problem. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has to compensate the toll collection agencies for losses, recoverable from the State, as the toll revenues accrue to the Consolidated Fund of India,’’ the letter added. The chief secretary has been requested to look into this matter and direct the district administration in the affected areas to ensure that no toll plaza is forcibly closed or disrupted for the overall benefit of the central and state governments. “A toll loss of Rs 1,348.77 crore between October 2020 to December 2021 (during the year-long farmers’ protests), Rs 41.83 crore in 2022-23, from January 2024 to July 2024 Rs 179.10 crore and Rs 69.15 crore from October 2024 to November 2024 has been caused to the Central exchequer,” the letter stated.
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