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To minimise delays in highway projects and resultant revenue loss, the government has come out with guidelines for publication of fee notifications through e-office. The guidelines include initiation of fee notification by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), NHIDCL, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and state governments six months prior to the commercial operation date (COD).
Issuing a standard operating procedure (SOP) for processing of publication of fee notifications, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a communication said: “It is observed that many a times, proposal is sent to toll division at almost completion stage thereby resulting in unnecessary delay in publication of fee notification and leading to revenue loss to government.” “Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued SOP for processing of publication of fee notifications through e-office and mandatory filling of checklist template. The SOP has become effective with immediate effect. A template for user fee notification under BOT and EPC projects has also been provided under it,” MoRTH said in a statement. This has been aimed at establishing a uniform framework for submission of fee proposals, the statement said. The Toll Division of the ministry has created a comprehensive checklist integrated with e-office covering every important detail crucial for processing fee notifications, it said. All such proposals will now be accompanied by a duly filled in checklist submitted through in-office, it added. “This will reduce the delays caused due to incomplete project details, and will expedite the publication of toll fee notifications,” the government said.