Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari has said that once the Delhi Mumbai Expressway becomes operational, the Center will give toll revenue Rs 1,000 to 1,500 crore every month. This much-awaited expressway is expected to become active in 2023. Gadkari termed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) as a ‘gold mine’. Gadkari recently completed a long journey to review the progress of the Delhi Mumbai Expressway.
He said that the annual toll income of NHAI will increase to Rs 1.40 lakh crore in the next five years. Right now, it is at Rs 40,000 crore level.
Delhi Mumbai Expressway will pass through four states.
The Delhi Mumbai Expressway will pass through four states apart from the National Capital Region. This 8-lane expressway will pass through Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. With this, the travel time between the national capital and the country’s country’s financial capital will be reduced to half that of 12 hours from the current 24 hours.
1000 to 1500 crores will be earned every month
Gadkari said, once the Delhi Mumbai Expressway becomes operational and opened to the public, it will give toll revenue of Rs 1,000 to 1,500 crore every month to the Center.
The Road Transport Minister said that the national highway infrastructure of the country is a world-class success story. The construction of the Delhi Mumbai Expressway is expected to be completed by March 2023. It is being constructed under the first phase of ‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’.
NHAI’s earnings to reach Rs 1.40 crore in 5 years
Amid concerns that NHAI has a very high debt burden, Gadkari said the nodal agency got a ‘Triple A’ rating, and all its road projects are productive.
He said that NHAI is not in the debt trap. This is a gold mine. NHAI’s toll income will reach Rs 1.40 lakh crore annually in the next five years. It is now Rs 40,000 crore.
NHAI debt increased
In March, the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture belonging to the department had raised concerns over the tax liability of Rs 97,115 crore on NHAI.
Recently, the minister told the Rajya Sabha that the total debt of NHAI had increased to Rs 3,06,704 crore by the end of March this year. It was Rs 74,742 crore at the end of March 2017.
