TOLL TAX

Each and every one pay road tax for his or her vehicle be it a bicycle,rick saw, two wheelers, four to sixteen wheelers trucks& bus  in India.This tax is collected for maintenance purpose of roads in the city or high ways.But alas in few months or years the road breaks up due to improper construction of roads due to corrupt practice.If the road is good you know there will be a place ahead with lots of rumble and humps for toll tax.The tax continues for years after years , as its out sourced through auction.There was a toll tax booth between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar run by Government for few years but it could collect hardly any money, but after out sourcing the amount was ten times more, this is government machinery for you, corrupt  & inefficient.Only when press people objected to the never ending toll tax it was stopped.Its a very good source for of income for many.The vehicle owners are helpless so is the driver, you pay or go back.One should remember while travelling in Indian roads you are a helpless victim to many adversaries some natural some man made.Road blocks takes two to five hours to clear up as our "kings" do not come to the site of accident before that.The small towns and villages move slowly towards these high ways with passage of time making life horrible for the drivers.Where that money goes from toll tax, no one knows.If the government can not maintain roads then why this tax on cars scooters and other vehicles?People are happy to pay Rs500 for the express highway from Delhi to Agra, no resentment except some farmers protested about this toll tax few months back.Every one pay onetime tax for 15 years for a private car or bike, but you catch any highway your toll tax may be more than diesel or petrol expenditure.You find trucks with uncovered bamboos, steel rods, frame,bullock carts,cows, buffaloes, goats and non functioning indicator lights plying on national highways, no road, signs or signals as it has been removed by the local people for their roof top or bath room doors.
Recently i had the experience of travelling by bus from Delhi to Nanital & back, the road condition is horrible ,as you enter UP.In patches you get some smooth roads but pay for it.How long one will go on paying toll tax in India.Every one will say it's in every country but they do not pay road tax as we do.In my opinion this toll tax has become a nuisance not only for the tax payers but also for the drivers.Let the NP truck or bus driver pay one time tax and avoid this harassment and bribing of the out sourced staffs and police.
(Sanjoy Kumar Satpathy,Bhubaneswar)