An electronic toll collection station at the BOT road project Can Tho-Phung Hiep in the southern city of Can Tho. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - The Ministry of Transport is working on a new draft circular which stipulates that the public will have a say on whether the locations oftoll stations on Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) roads areappropriate.
The draftcircular, which is set to replace Circular No. 49/2016/TT-BGTVT on theconstruction, organisation and operation of toll booths, states thatthe intended locations of the toll stations must be made public when theprojects are announced and must be already planned before the project’sfeasibility report is approved.
The tollstations’ locations are supposed to ensure “harmonious benefits” between allparties – the State, investor, and road users – and must be conducive to thecollection of tolls.
Given theconstrained State budget, public-private partnerships – including the BOTmodel –have become more commonplace to finance infrastructureprojects.
However,they have recently been subjected to intense scrutiny from both society andGovernment agencies after multiple protests throughout the country have shedlight on the rampant violations and opaque decision-making in theseprojects.
The draftcircular is aimed at providing more transparency in the BOT projects.
For BOTprojects that would collect tolls on a per-trip basis, the locations of thestations must be made known to the district’s authorities and residents 30 daysbefore the decision permitting the construction of the stations is made.
For BOTroads that form part of the national road system, the toll stations must beplaced within the parameters of the project and the decision can only be madeafter gathering opinions from the municipal or provincial National Assemblydelegate, People’s Committee, and automobile transport association.
For localBOT roads that connect to the national road, the toll stations must stay withinthe parameters of the project that the local authorities have approved withinput from the transport ministry,
In case ofBOT roads that do not connect with the national road, the stations’ locationsare decided by the provincial/municipal People’s Committees.-VNA
VNA
