CM Naidu proposes tolls for roads in rural areas

Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu announced in the Assembly that the government plans to levy tolls on heavy vehicles for roads in rural areas, similar to national highways, as part of a new initiative to improve infrastructure.

He assured the public that this new policy would only be implemented after gaining the approval from public and emphasized that the tolls would not burden the common people. Naidu also called on public representatives to take an active role in convincing the people about the merits of outsourcing road construction.

When asked by the CM how many MLAs supported this policy, the majority raised their hands in approval. Speaking during the discussion on the Polavaram project on Tuesday, Naidu acknowledged the poor State of roads across the state and outlined his vision to develop quality infrastructure in rural areas. He mentioned that the new toll policy would initially be implemented in the joint East and West Godavari districts.

If the public welcomed the proposal, it would be expanded statewide. Naidu highlighted the challenges faced by the people due to road congestion and expressed the government's commitment to constructing high-quality roads that would facilitate toll collection from heavy vehicles like cars and lorries, without inconveniencing smaller vehicles such as autos, bikes, and tractors. Importantly, he clarified that no toll would be levied for travel from villages to mandal centers; tolls would only be charged after crossing the mandal center.

The Chief Minister stressed that the policy would not be enforced without public consent. "This is a proposal that will be implemented only after convincing the people," Naidu said. He emphasized that the construction of roads in rural areas would be handled by top outsourcing agencies to ensure quality.

The new policy would be a significant step toward development, particularly in rural areas, and the government would take every effort to explain the benefits to the public. Naidu assured that the policy would not be implemented by force and that it would only move forward with the backing of the people. The first phase of the new toll system will be introduced in the East and West Godavari districts, with plans to expand it statewide based on public response.