Punjab Mechanical Vehicles (Bridges and Roads Tolls) Act, 1998

No: 13 Dated: Apr, 20 1998

The Punjab Mechanical Vehicles (Bridges and Roads Tolls) Act, 1998

Punjab Act No. 13 of 1998

    An Act to provide for levy and collection of tolls on mechanical vehicles crossing certain bridges and using certain roads or section of the roads in the State of Punjab.

    Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Punjab in the Forty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follows :-

1. Short title and commencement. - (1) This Act may be called the Punjab Mechanical Vehicles (Bridges and Roads Tolls) Act, 1998.

(2) It shall come into force at once.

2. Definitions. - In this Act unless the context otherwise requires, -

(a) "appellate authority" means a Superintending Engineer, Department of Public Works (Building and Roads Branch) in whose jurisdiction the bridge or the roads falls;

(b) "authority" means an Executive Engineer, Department of Public Works (Building and Roads Branch) in whose jurisdiction the bridge or the road falls;

(c) "bridge" means a permanent or temporary bridge specified in the First Schedule and shall include such other permanent or temporary bridges or Ferry services as may, from time to time, be notified by the State Government in this behalf;

(d) "Fee Inspector" means an officer of the State Government authorised by the authority to collect the toll;

(e) "mechanical vehicle" means any laden or unladen vehicle designed to be driven under its own power including a motor vehicle as defined in clause (28) of section 2 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act No. 59 of 1988);

(f) "National Highway" means a National Highway specified in the Schedule appended to the National Highways Act, 1956 (Central Act No. 48 of 1956);

(g) "road" means a road or section of road, other than a National Highway, specified in the Second Schedule and shall include such other road or section of the road, as may from time to time, be notified by the State Government in this behalf;

(h) "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to this Act; and

(i) "State Government" means the Government of State of Punjab.

3. Rate of toll and its payment. - (1) There shall be levied and paid to the State Government on every mechanical vehicle crossing the bridges or using the road, a toll at the rate not exceeding the maximum rates specified in the Third Schedule, as may be notified for each mechanical vehicle by the State Government from time to time:

Provided that if in the opinion of the State Government, it is necessary or expedient to revise the maximum rates specified in the Third Schedule, the same may be revised at any time by a notification to be published in the Official Gazette :

Provided further that no toll shall be levied on defence service vehicles and such other mechanical vehicle or class of mechanical vehicles, any class of persons or individuals as the State Government may, by general or special order, exempt from the levy or payment of the toll.

(2) Every person in-charge of mechanical vehicle shall, before crossing the bridge or using the road, as the case may be, pay to the Fee Inspector posted at the entry point, the toll and shall not cross the bridge or use the road, as the case may be, without obtaining a receipt in token of having paid the amount of toll.

(3) Such receipt shall be shown to the Fee Inspector on demand posted at the other entry point of the bridge or the road, as the case may be.