KARACHI: While the Karachi-Hyderabad motorway is still in the process of completion, authorities have increased the toll tax manifold on the ground that the Superhighway, as it was previously called, has now become a part of the countrywide network of motorways.

The move, however, has drawn criticism not only from transporters and common citizens, but from ruling as well as opposition parties in Sindh which said the road could not be called a motorway since the authorities are only repairing and expanding the existing Superhighway.

Previously, the toll tax for a car going from Karachi to Hyderabad was Rs30. But now drivers on the same route have to pay over Rs200 toll tax.

“The track between Karachi and Hyderabad has now become part of the Pakistan Motorways Network as M-9. The tax rate which is charged in other parts of the country for use of motorways will also be charged here,” an official privy to the recent development said.

On the other hand, transporters said the new rates had increased their travelling cost but admitted at the same time that with the construction of the motorway the quality of the 136-kilometre journey would improve.

Toll tax on under-construction ‘motorway’ being charged on per kilometre basis

“Before implementation of the new rates, authorities were charging old toll tax in line with the National Highway Authority’s (NHA) defined regulations for highways. The new toll rates were made effective last month and the authorities concerned had approved the new charges for all the categories,” the official said.

He said that under the new toll rates, cars were required to pay Rs1.58 per kilometre; wagons Rs2.64 per km; coasters Rs3.70 per km; buses Rs5.2 per km; trucks Rs7.10 per km; and trailers Rs9.05 per km.

The old rates, he said, were Rs30 for cars, and Rs40 and Rs90 for heavy vehicles according to their size.

The foundation stone for the first phase of M-9 was laid in March 2015. Built by M/S Score Private Limited, a subsidiary of Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), the project was aimed at converting four lanes of the highway into six at a cost of over Rs44 billion.

The project includes 10 interchanges and 14 underpasses between Karachi and Hyderabad.

In February 2017, a section of the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway was formally opened for traffic as the official deadline for completion of the project is April 2018.

“The NHA entered into an agreement with M/S Score Private Limited as its initiative to launch projects under public-private partnerships,” said the official.

“Under the agreement, the company is building the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway on build-operate-transfer [basis] for 25 years. The project is likely to be completed well before its official deadline,” he further said.

Transporters of heavy vehicles are not happy with the exorbitant tax, but agreed that the new road had cut their travelling time and helped them save fuel.

“The rates are too high if we compare them with the old ones. It affects the travelling cost negatively,” said Ashiq Hussain Khan Niazi of the Karachi Goods Carriers’ Association.

When asked about the equality of the new road and driving experience, he lauded the new project and said the development had made the journey much easier.

“We have come to know that some 90 fuel stations will be built along the Motorway between Karachi and Hyderabad. Once these stations and roadside hotels become functional, the new road will change the travelling experience,” added Mr Niazi.

The Sindh government had also criticised the hasty development of the road and termed it nothing but eyewash as the repaired highway was not really upgraded to the status of a motorway.

Sindh Transport Minister Nasir Shah had said that the users of the Superhighway had been made to pay an exorbitant toll tax as if they were using a proper motorway.

The Sindh Bus Owners Association had also condemned the increase in toll tax since the road had not yet been completed.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2017