Tolls collected by the Directorate of Road Transport under the Ministry of Construction in Mandalay will be collected using a card system. The card system will be managed by the Mandalay City Development Committee.
Mandalay Mayor Dr Ye Lwin said: “We hear criticism over the toll from drivers. Tender winners are being questioned. To silence the voices of criticism, the Ministry of Construction is trying to change the toll collecting system into a card system, like other countries.
“If the card system is completed, this service will be put out to tender. The toll service will be handed over to the Mandalay City Development Committee. If it is not completed, we will have to wait for it for about one year. It will be sure that MCDC will manage it in 2019.”
Mandalay resident and author Kyaw Gyi said: “Mandalay has four toll gates at its entrance. The MCDC will carry out the toll services next year. We welcome this plan. Systematic measures are of great importance. Regarding the toll service, tender winners do not follow the rules set by the MCDC. Tolls are being collected twice. Whether the MCDC or the private tender winner collects toll, rules must be followed.”
The toll gates in Mandalay are Htonebo-Myitngae, Aungpinlei, Shwekyetyet and Shwegyin. These toll gates were put out to tender.
The tender winner was allowed to manage toll operations for three years, starting in the 2014-2015 fiscal year. In the 2015-2016 financial year, the original tender-winning price was raised by 5 percent, and then again in the 2016-2017 financial year. Starting this year, the tender system will be introduced each year.
Source: Eleven Myanmar