Thread by @logic

thehindu.com/news/cities/ch…

Just read about #Paranur toll plaza violence that happened over weekend. The issue is mainstream debate in Tamil media. #Thread

The incident allegedly sparked off after SETC bus entered over the extreme left lane meant for 2 wheeler / emergency vehicles and there was a verbal tussle between driver and toll staff.

#Paranur toll is highly saturated, gets 2.5x traffic than designed capacity of the highway.

It must also be noted the concession period has ended and there is a case pending in Madras HC. Voices in media suggest bouncers being used to collect toll (and there are allegations of dwindling0

Pretty much everyone cites lack of transparency. I pulled up data from @NHAISocialmedia website and it shows 12 / 83 over saturated highway stretches are in TN docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d…

The average "right wing intellectual" on the channel puts #FASTag as a cure all for toll problems.

There has been very minimal discussion in Tamil media about CCEA policy decision on asset monetization

In 2016, CCEA authorized National Highways Authority of India to monetize public funded national highway projects

-- Granting tolling rights to financial conglomarates to existing public funded highways.

pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintR…

A case in TN, while the NHAI website is out of date, the news is Madurai - Kanyakumari stretch is part of assets transferred to Cube Highways, Singapore for 30 years under ToT 3rd auctions.

economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/economy/i…

It is bizzare to note that entire state media (including leading English dailys) is unaware of / choose not to report this fact and is still discussing the issue at a surface level (of handling tolls, FASTag etc).

Modi 1.0 started selling highways to cover up revenue targets.

Read more about harms of FASTag itself and its "hidden agenda" (Actually not so hidden, its just news media is not reporting) thewire.in/political-econ…

If that was not enough, In 2019, days before #FASTag deadline, CCEA further relaxed ToT norms and has a target of 15,000 km of road stretches for monetisation by 2024-25.

Read what @nsitharaman had to say about it.

economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/trans…

The problem of tolls is not about managing / technology, its about long term infrastructure financing. #FASTag adds a data layer (which additionally gives surveillance capabilities), in addition to financializing toll operations has great risks of large scams.

I talked to @digitaldutta on @SunoIndia_in 's #CyberDemocracy on #FASTag conundrum sunoindia.in/cyber-democrac…

In Tamil, I talked to @R_Jeevanand on #CashlessConsumer podcast castbox.fm/episode/FASTag…

To put it in short, #FASTag is a vehicle for disinvestment - one which takes away national assets and hands over to global capital, while making people charge for it. We need open debate on infrastructure financing in parliament on CCEA policy decisions @WriterRavikumar @jothims

@WriterRavikumar @jothims That NHAI is still not updating data since 2016 shows the heights of lack of transparency from government (while it expects citizens to be transparent to state and its financial industry agents) @NHAISocialmedia Why is data not updated after 2016?