Shimla, March 25 The government will consider issuing entry passes to residents of Himachal Pradesh's border areas, especially those who cross state boundaries daily for work or other reasons, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Wednesday.
The passes are expected to offer concessions to residents on the entry toll tax.
Responding to questions from MLAs Rakesh Jamwal, Sukhram Chaudhary and Rakesh Kalia in the assembly, the chief minister said that people from outside the state who regularly travel to and from Himachal Pradesh could potentially get relief from toll charges if they register their vehicles in the state.
No entry tax would be levied on taxis and LMVs (light motor vehicles) registered within the state, he said.
Sukhu said that in locations where toll barriers operated by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the state government are situated closely, efforts would be made to integrate them to ensure greater public convenience.
He said that the government has already integrated the state's toll barriers with the FASTag system and asserted that the actual increase in toll tax is not as substantial as is currently being speculated.
In supplementary questions, MLAs Kalia and Chaudhary said residents of villages adjacent to the state border commute daily for trade and industrial work and should be granted special passes.
The chief minister said the government would give sympathetic consideration to this suggestion.
Sukhu further said the increase in entry fees is projected to yield approximately Rs 228 crore in total revenue for the government. Currently, it is not possible to accurately assess the precise impact the fee hike will have on the tourism industry.
Quarterly and annual rates under the state government's toll policy will apply exclusively to vehicles owned by Himachal Pradesh residents who live within a 5-kilometre radius of a specific toll barrier, he said.
Such vehicle owners will be eligible for this concession only upon submitting a certificate from the concerned sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) or tehsildar, verifying that their place of residence indeed falls within the 5-kilometre radius of the toll barrier.