Prashant Burge, an RTI activist, suspected that excess toll was being charged on NH4. He then filed an RTI application, which proved him right, exposing a scam of Rs. 1.8 crores.
Prashant Burge from Belgaum suspected that the toll collected at Hattargi plaza on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border on National Highway-4 (NH4) was was much higher than the prescribed amount.
He filed an application under Right to Information Act (RTI) in 2013, demanding an investigation into the entire toll structure. National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) responded to his query and initiated a high level probe.
The results were shocking, but not to Burge, as he had already suspected the flaw.
NHAI Were Charging vehicles at 20 and 40 instead of 15 and 35 at Toll Booths:
After the probe, NHAI found out that users were being charged at Rs. 20 for motorcycles and Rs. 40 for light motor vehicles, whereas it should have been Rs. 15 and Rs. 35, respectively.
t was found from the reply that an excess user fee of Rs 5 for one way and return trips at Hattargi User Fee Plaza on Belgaum-Maharashtra stretch highway was collected. The toll booth is located at NH-4 and is authorised to collect toll fee for a stretch of 22 km.
The excess collection of user fee of Rs 1.8 crore was recovered from Konark Infrastructure Ltd which is the same toll agency that had cheated the passengers. Seeing the importance and depth of the matter, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) dwelled and investigated the matter where it was found that the commuters were charged Rs 20 and Rs 40 while the usual charge were kept at Rs 15 and Rs 35 respectively.
NHAI then recovered all the excess amount from the agency as well:
As corrective measures, they put up notice boards at all toll booths asking passengers to collect the excess amount of Rs. 5 after producing proof of identity and excess fee charged.
NHAI appreciated Burge’s complaint and also approved a reward of Rs. 10,000 to him under cash reward scheme.
Prashant Burge has not only exposed this scam but few months back, he even exposed the officials of revenue department in Chikkodi, who allegedly transferred 5 acres land of the forest department to the name of the private person.
Conclusion:
Now, it seems that RTI has brought revolution not only in digging out the pasts that were buried long ago under the carpet but also unearthing scams that were taking place around us.
We must appreciate Prashant Burge and also NHAI step to reward him for exposing the scam especially when RTI activists are killed for doing the same and we also appeal to our readers to know exact toll rate and never pay more than required.
Prashant Burge from Belgaum suspected that the toll collected at Hattargi plaza on the Maharashtra-Karnataka border on National Highway-4 (NH4) was was much higher than the prescribed amount.
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| Prashant Burge, an RTI activist, suspected that excess toll was being charged on NH4. He then filed an RTI application, which proved him right, exposing a scam of Rs. 1.8 crores. |
He filed an application under Right to Information Act (RTI) in 2013, demanding an investigation into the entire toll structure. National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) responded to his query and initiated a high level probe.
The results were shocking, but not to Burge, as he had already suspected the flaw.
NHAI Were Charging vehicles at 20 and 40 instead of 15 and 35 at Toll Booths:
After the probe, NHAI found out that users were being charged at Rs. 20 for motorcycles and Rs. 40 for light motor vehicles, whereas it should have been Rs. 15 and Rs. 35, respectively.
t was found from the reply that an excess user fee of Rs 5 for one way and return trips at Hattargi User Fee Plaza on Belgaum-Maharashtra stretch highway was collected. The toll booth is located at NH-4 and is authorised to collect toll fee for a stretch of 22 km.
The excess collection of user fee of Rs 1.8 crore was recovered from Konark Infrastructure Ltd which is the same toll agency that had cheated the passengers. Seeing the importance and depth of the matter, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) dwelled and investigated the matter where it was found that the commuters were charged Rs 20 and Rs 40 while the usual charge were kept at Rs 15 and Rs 35 respectively.
NHAI then recovered all the excess amount from the agency as well:
As corrective measures, they put up notice boards at all toll booths asking passengers to collect the excess amount of Rs. 5 after producing proof of identity and excess fee charged.
NHAI appreciated Burge’s complaint and also approved a reward of Rs. 10,000 to him under cash reward scheme.
Prashant Burge has not only exposed this scam but few months back, he even exposed the officials of revenue department in Chikkodi, who allegedly transferred 5 acres land of the forest department to the name of the private person.
Conclusion:
Now, it seems that RTI has brought revolution not only in digging out the pasts that were buried long ago under the carpet but also unearthing scams that were taking place around us.
We must appreciate Prashant Burge and also NHAI step to reward him for exposing the scam especially when RTI activists are killed for doing the same and we also appeal to our readers to know exact toll rate and never pay more than required.
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