The Nagaland Voluntary Consumers’ Organisation (NVCO) has voiced strong opposition to the state government’s proposal to partially lift the ban on toll gates, citing past issues of harassment, illegal taxation, and price inflation in the region.
In a statement, the NVCO warned that lifting the ban could lead to the misuse of toll collection, causing hardships for vehicle owners, transporters, and the general public. “The public has already endured negative experiences with toll tax collection, where drivers and vehicle owners were harassed on highways and byroads,” it said, adding that the practice also contributed to rising prices of both essential and non-essential commodities.
Past issues and legal framework
Previously, toll taxes were collected by municipal and town councils, police, and various organizations and unions. However, these practices were tainted by extortion and violence, with reports of truck drivers being beaten for not meeting cash demands. “There were incidents where transporters refused to enter Nagaland, leading to protests, bandhs, and chakka jams. Illegal taxation and cash collection brought shame to a Christian state like Nagaland,” the NVCO stated.
In response to public grievances, the state government had taken action. A standing order issued on June 22, 2009, prohibited all organizations and government departments—including police, excise, and forest departments—from collecting cash or taxes at check gates. This order was reiterated on December 8, 2009, and further reinforced by a 2014 Gauhati High Court ruling, Kohima Bench, which disallowed cash collections along highways and byroads.
The imposition of a blanket ban on toll tax collection by the Governor of Nagaland was widely welcomed across the state.
Concerns over new toll center and GST impact
Despite these regulations, NVCO raised concerns over the government’s plan to lift the ban, especially with the construction of a new toll tax center between Dimapur and Kohima. The organization pointed out that with GST already contributing to higher prices, reintroducing toll taxes would add further financial strain on the public.
Toll tax with proper regulation
While acknowledging that toll taxes are a legitimate means of recovering investments in infrastructure, NVCO president Kezhokhoto Savi stressed that such collections should only be allowed under strict conditions.
“The government should only permit toll tax collection by firms or contractors who have invested in building roads or bridges, based on an MoU where they are allowed to recover the money within a set period and at rates determined by the government,” Savi explained.
“No organization or body has the right to collect toll tax without investing anything,” he emphasized.
Savi also criticized the government for pushing to lift the ban when many roads and bridges in the state remain in poor condition. Toll tax should be used for infrastructure development and maintenance, he argued, questioning why the government is in a rush to lift the ban without first addressing the deplorable state of the roads.
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