‘Toll taking big toll’: AAP MP Raghav Chadha calls it 'legalised loot'; makes key demands in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha on Monday sharply criticised the functioning of toll plazas, arguing that commuters face excessive taxation, poor road conditions and long queues despite paying multiple charges. Raising the issue in the Upper House, he said the situation amounted to “legalised loot” and urged the government to revisit tolling norms.Chadha said “toll is taking a big toll on people of India,” pointing to what he described as persistent congestion, mismanagement and profiteering at toll points. Highlighting the tax burden on vehicle owners, he noted that citizens already pay GST, road tax and infrastructure cess while buying cars, and infrastructure-related levies on fuel. “And then when we drive on roads even the toll tax is charged from us, which is increasingly becoming unbearable for the citizens,” he said. He also criticised the quality of highways, saying commuters expect proper drainage, lighting, lane markings and safety features after paying hefty charges, but “none of it is available” and maintenance remains “negligible.” Citing recent judicial observations, he referred to the Kerala high court’s view that NHAI cannot collect toll on incomplete or poorly maintained stretches and the Jammu & Kashmir high court’s decision granting 80% relief at two toll plazas over bad road conditions.On delays at toll booths, Chadha questioned the utility of paying numerous taxes when motorists still spend “30–40 mins in the queue waiting.” He said the cost of such congestion - fuel wastage, lost productivity and missed commitments - imposes an “invisible” burden on the economy.He further alleged that several toll plazas continue to operate for decades even after recovering project costs, calling it “legalised loot which should be stopped.”Chadha demanded that the government introduce a rule ensuring free passage for any commuter made to wait beyond a set threshold. “My demand is we should make a rule, that if someone is made to wait for more than 5 mins at a toll plaza their charges should be made free,” he said.