The Senate Standing Committee on Communications on Monday questioned the shift from manual tolling to M-Tag systems and asked the National Highway Authority (NHA) for a detailed report on collection data, saying citizens had already paid billions of rupees for the facility.
Committee Chairman Senator Pervaiz Rashid chaired the meeting, which reviewed national highway projects, financial allocations, road safety, tolling operations and maintenance frameworks.
Senators Palwasha Khan and Abdul Qadir said several toll plazas had already recovered their full costs in previous years. They questioned the justification for continued collection while road conditions and commuter facilities remain inadequate.
The committee was told that NHA toll rates were revised after five years. It stressed that higher tolls must be matched by better facilities. It sought separate manual and M-Tag collection data and directed NHA to act on right-of-way encroachments and poor call-centre services.
Senator Muhammad Talha Mahmood raised delays on the N-45. NHA said a 48-kilometre section would be built through a bank partnership, pending bid concurrence. The committee directed the Communications Ministry and the NHA chief to coordinate with the Korean ambassador and report progress. It also asked NHA to explore assistance for the provincial Mastuj-Broghil road, where a 145-kilometre journey takes 14 to 15 hours.
Officials said the Rs35 billion Lowari Tunnel project, which includes a Rs33 billion lighting upgrade, has been approved for 24-hour lighting. NHA aims to complete it within two years.
On Balochistan and CPEC roads, NHA said Rs116 billion of the required Rs128 billion had been sanctioned, including Rs100 billion for the Karachi-Bela N-25 Pakistan Expressway. The ministry said it was pursuing multi-year funding to complete existing projects. The committee sought details of fund utilisation and legal hurdles and directed NHA to submit its position to the Balochistan High Court.
The chairman ordered more roadside plantation and the reinvestment of toll revenues in roads and facilities. He noted that work on the M-6 is due to begin by December.
NHA was also directed to explain new projects amid funding shortages, submit project-wise financial and completion details, and provide particulars of 11 maintenance schemes worth Rs39.866 billion. The committee sought a compliance report at its next meeting.
