Pay 100 times more toll tax!

HYDERABAD: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board has revised its octroi and toll tax collection rates, after taking over the collection process from private contractors in July.Talking to newsmen after the board meeting on Monday, chief executive officer of SCB, S Balakrishna said, “Toll tax for four-wheelers has been increased from 50 paise to `50. For two wheelers, it has been revised from 25 paise to `10. Octroi taxes have also been increased according to articles like grains, flour, cement, iron and steel.” He added the existing octroi and toll tax rates were prescribed in 1974 and 1956 respectively and are abnormally low compared to present market rates.Balakrishna said the board also decided to hire class IV employees to collect the taxes instead of SCB employees from engineering, health and other wings being deployed at entry and exit points to the Cantonment to collect taxes. “It had created a problem for providing citizen services, including issue of birth and death certificates, collection of property tax, sanitation works, etc,” the CEO said. He said wages of the vice-chairman and other members have also been increased. From August, members would be given allowances of honorarium, conveyance and telephone.