DROSH: The National Highway Authority (NHA) has started collecting toll tax at Lowari tunnel from commercial vehicles and tourists coming from other provinces.
On February 15, NHA authorities officially started collecting toll tax from inbound and outbound vehicles at Lowari tunnel, said a transporter.
According to a notice issued by the NHA, the toll has been fixed for light and heavy vehicles as follow: for cars Rs60, wagons, Rs100, buses Rs200, two and three axle trucks Rs250 and articulated trucks Rs500.
The NHA claimed that the main purpose of opening toll plazas in Dargai Malakand and Lowari tunnel south side in Dir Upper on NA-45 was to generate revenue and enhance the level of communication services for locals of districts Malakand, Dir Lower and Dir Upper.
It said that local vehicles shall be exempted from the toll, However, commercial vehicles as well as summer tourists from other provinces shall be charged.
Say no to tax. Chitral is a no tax zone and the NHA should be taken to court against this. NHA should construct roads in Chitral before imposing toll taxes. Toll tax on trucks will increase prices of fruits, vegetables etc in Chitral.
More than the tax issue is the nuisance of holding up of passenger vehicles at the entrance of the tunnel on both sides. This avoidable nonsense should be done away before anything else.