Bidding stuck as vigilance probes NHAI toll modernisation plan

Over a year after National Highways Authority of India embarked on an ambitious plan to modernise toll plazas across...

Over a year after National Highways Authority of India embarked on an ambitious plan to modernise toll plazas across the country, the project has run into a vigilance inquiry. While the original tender for the technology was cancelled last year, new tenders invited this year had reached the final stages of bidding when they were marked out for a vigilance inquiry.

“Two tenders on installation of toll equipment at 10 locations and on consultancy for toll automation technology are in the final stages of bidding. However, there is a delay on account of an internal inquiry. Once it’s cleared, they should be awarded within 15 days,” said a senior official.

With NHAI planning to set up electronic toll collection plazas at every 65 kms on the national highways, the GQ and the North-South-East-West corridors alone will require some 200 toll plazas. And each toll equipment costs more than Rs 3 crore. The NHAI had opened Indian highways to the world’s toll automation market in early 2006 when it invited tenders for toll automation equipment installation at 10 shortlisted locations as part.

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The plan was to enable automated toll payment through on-board units in vehicles. In early 2006, NHAI invited bids for tags and on-board units based on a technology standard widely used and adopted in Europe.

However, the tender was scrapped after protests by companies supporting the ISO CALM infrared toll technology. NHAI then invited two separate tenders in 2007. Both have been held up because of the enquiry. A RTI filed by this reporter has revealed that the organisation’s vigilance division has received 46 complaints upto September 24. It received 64 complaints in 2005 and 37 in 2005.

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