The Hindu : Toll tax panel rejects move to install cameras

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Toll tax panel rejects move to install cameras

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, MARCH 20. A Councillor's sub-committee on toll tax has recommended changes in several key proposals of the Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, on this issue, which if implemented would not only restrict modernisation and computerisation of toll tax collection system, but also have an adverse impact on Delhi's security.

Constituted by the MCD Standing Committee Chairman, Mukesh Goel, for studying the toll tax tender document, the Hem Chand Goyal sub-committee submitted its report this week. The sub-committee held just one meeting on March 8.

Among the other members included, the Deputy Chairman in the Standing Committee, Ashok Jain, and the Appointments Committee Chairman, Braj Mohan Sharma. The BJP Councillor, Vijender Kumar Gupta, who was also nominated to the sub-committee had refused to attend its meetings. In its recommendations, the sub-committee rejected the proposal of Mr. Mehta to install digital cameras and x-ray machines at major toll points. Such a proposal was made at the advice of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and security and vigilance agencies so that the vehicles coming into Capital could be monitored and tracked.

While the sub-committee recommended for reducing the reserve price from Rs. 75 crores to Rs. 71 crores, it said the financial bids of the private companies be given more weightage than the technical bids. This would bring in more revenue to the MCD, the report said. At the same time, officials argued it would favour those companies, which were technically not competent enough. As regards Mr. Mehta's proposal for an annual Rs. 2.4 crore increase in the toll contract, the sub-committee recommended to reduce it to Rs. 2 crores. As per the annual proposal the new contract for the collection of toll-tax is to be given for three years and extendable for another two years.

The sub-committee also reduced the financial security that the company had to deposit to the MCD. As against the proposal to take six months bank guarantee and cash guarantee for another three months from the company, the sub-committee recommended to reduce it to three and two months respectively.

With the one-year contract with the existing company coming to an end on April 30, the MCD is in a hurry to appoint a new contractor for the collection of toll-tax in the Capital, which was privatised last year. In the expression of interest, 15 companies had shown interest in taking over the toll tax collection system. An expert committee consisting of officials brought down the list to five companies.

The Standing Committee, however, disqualified three more companies, thus reducing the competition between two companies only. This was objected by the Delhi Mayor, Ashok K. Jain, who in two separate letter observed that this was a deliberate attempt to favour a particular company by restricting competition.

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