The CPI(M)-led Government in Kerala has put the Centre in a spot by refusing to sign the state support agreement for about 700 km of road projects under the NHDP-III (National Highways Development Project-III), saying it cannot permit collection of toll on these highways. Instead, it wants a special exemption for Kerala. This has all the makings of another confrontation between the UPA and its Left allies. While clearing the NHDP-III projects, the Cabinet had made it clear that these would be built on a BOT (Toll) basis, unless the project was commercially unviable. Only a few roads in the Northeast or in the interiors of the country fall in this bracket.“The key aspect is charging toll on the highways; people do not support it. So we are talking with the (Central) Government to see what can be done. We are against charging of toll,” Kerala Chief Secretary Lizzie Jacob told The Indian Express. He added that Kerala currently collects tolls only on bridges. Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan is believed to have conveyed the same message to Minister of Road, Transport and Highways T R Baalu at a review meeting in Thiruvananthapuram last week. Under the rules laid out for NHDP-III projects, modes other than BOT are to be considered only if the capacity of the road is 15,000 PCU (passenger car units) or below. The capacity of the 664 km of roads to be four-laned along the Kerala coast, mainly NH-47 and NH-17, is well above 20,000 PCUs. In its objection to toll collection, Kerala virtually stands alone. All other states, including West Bengal, have accepted the model. In fact, there is pressure from some like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab to take up four-laning of more roads under the NHDP. Suggestions have been made that while Kerala makes up its mind, funds kept aside for its projects be diverted to other, more willing states.
