'NHA able to collect only 13pc toll tax from highways'

ISLAMABAD: National High Authority (NHA) Chairman Arshad Majeed Mohmand said that currently, the NHA is able to collect only 13 percent of toll tax from the NHA highways.

NHA Chairman Arshad Majeed Mohmand said this on Wednesday while giving a briefing to the Federal Minister for Communications, Privatisation, and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan.

He further informed that the process of refinement has been started in the light of the instructions of the Federal Minister for Communication and measures were being proposed for a short and long-term policy, in this regard.

Abdul Aleem Khan said that there was no room for corrupt and incompetent staff in the NHA. He further said that in those areas where there were problems in revenue collection, the issue could be solved by handing over the toll collection to the private sector.

He directed that every year the National Highway Authority should set its annual revenue targets which will surely not only increase the efficiency and revenue of the institution but also bring a clear and positive difference.

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The minister said that the NHA should adopt a self-reliance policy and use available resources, professional skills, and manpower.  “NHA should be a financially stable and independent entity in the future”, he remarked.

Improving the means of transportation was one of the top priorities of the government while creating a business model compatible with modern requirements has become inevitable as well.

“By introducing a new vision in NHA, we should not only enhance our capacity globally by offering our expert services to other countries but also earn a significant amount of foreign exchange”, he added.

Federal Minister for Communications, Privatisation, and Board of Investment Abdul Aleem Khan that a network of high-quality highways and motorways was being laid in the country.

In future, no motorway will be constructed with less than six lanes while the motorways from Karachi to Sukkhar and Sialkot, Kharian to Islamabad will be the top priority of the National Highway Authority (NHA), these views were expressed by the minister in the departmental briefing of NHA where Chairman NHA, Federal Secretary Communications, and other senior officers were present.

He further directed that all motorways should be constructed with at least three lanes on one side so that these can fulfil the needs of the future.

He said the NHA should collect maximum revenue by constructing a toll plaza for heavy traffic, and public and private transport.

He said that to strictly ensure the implementation of axle load rules on these roads and motorways which should not be violated at any cost.