LexThe Punjab Mechanical Vehicle (PMV) Act
Punjab · state statute
Open in Lexace · Ask the AI about this actGOVERNMENT OF PUNJAB
DEPARTMENT OF LEGAL AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS
THE PUNJAB MECHANICAL VEHICLES (BRIDGES AND
ROADS TOLLS) ACT, 1998
(PUNJAB ACT 13 OF 1998)
(As amended upto the 30th June, 2025)
2025
THE PUNJAB MECHANICAL VEHICLES (BRIDGES AND
ROADS TOLLS) ACT, 1998
Sections CONTENTS
1. Short title and commencement
2. Definitions
3. Rate of toll and its payment
4. Power to lease or authorize the collection of toll
5. Power of Fee Inspector
6. Offences and Penalties
7. Complaints
8. Appeals
9. Bar to proceedings
10. Exclusion of jurisdiction of civil court
11. Power to make rules
The First Schedule
The Second Schedule
The Third Schedule
THE PUNJAB MECHANICAL VEHICLES (BRIDGES AND
ROADS TOLLS) ACT, 1998
(Punjab Act No. 13 of 1998)
[Received the assent of the Governor of Punjab on the 16th April,
1998, and was first published for general information in the
Punjab Government Gazette (Extraordinary), Legislative
Supplement, dated the 20th April, 1998.]
1 2 3 4
Year No. Short title Whether repealed or
otherwise affected by the
legislation
1998 13 The Punjab
Mechanical
Vehicles (Bridges
and Roads Tolls)
Act, 1998
Amended by Punjab Act
No. 2 of 2006
Amended by Punjab Act
No. 2 of 2014
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. (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. 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 br idge 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;
1[2[(c) "bridge" means a permanent or temporary bridge or
road over -bridge or road under -bridge or flyover or
elevated road or vehicular under pass or ferry services,
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 2
2 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
Short title and
commencement.
Definitions.
specified in the First Schedule, and shall include such
other permanent or temporary bridge or road over -
bridge or road under-bridge or flyover or elevated road
or vehicular under pass or ferry services as notified by
the State Government in this behalf, from time to time];
(ca) “bypass” means a road constructed around a city or
town for facilitating the movement of traffic;
(cb) “concession” includes any right or interest granted to a
concessionaire in relation to any aspect of a road
project, as well as any subsidy, subvention, grant or
other similar financial incentive granted by th e State
Government to secure the viability and commercial
efficacy of a road project;
1[(cc) “concessionaire” means a person, who is selected and
awarded a concession for financing, development,
construction, operation and maintenance or only fo r
operation and maintenance of a road project under any
law for the time being in force;]
(cd) “concession agreement" means any of the contracts
executed between the State Government and a
concessionaire for the purposes of granting a
concession for private participation in a road project
under any law for the time being in force;
(ce) "concession fee" means the sum of money required to
be paid by the concessionaire to the State Government
or the Punjab Roads and Bridges Development Board,
established under section 3 of the Punjab Roads and
Bridges Development Board Act, 1998, as the case may
be, in consideration of grant of a concession for
undertaking a road project;]
2[(cf) “contract agreement” means any con tract executed
between the State Government and a contractor for the
purpose of levy and collection of toll in a road project
under any law for the time being in force;
(cg) “contractor” means a person who is selected and
awarded a contract fo r levy and collection of toll on a
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
2 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
road project constructed, developed, operated and/or
maintained by the State Government or under any
private funded project, under any law for the time being
in force;
(ch) "elevated road" means any section of road raised above
ground level through support of piers, solid fill or
columns, including its approaches, as notified by the
State Government in this behalf, from time to time; and
(ci) "flyover" means any section of road raised above ground
level that crosses over a road/ rail/ building/ street/ any
man made structure, including its approaches, as
notified by the State Government in this behalf, from
time to time;]
(d) "Fee Inspector" means an officer of the State
Government authorised by the authority to collect the
toll;
1[(dd) 'lease' includes any grant or award of any right,
privilege, interest, financial incentive, benefit, subsidy
or subvention granted by the State Government to any
person to secure participation in or in connection with
the development, construction, repair, renovation,
expansion, alteration, replacement, operation or
maintenance of a road project or any other activity
incidental thereto, in the form of or contained in or
forming part of any lease, concession or management
contract entered into in connection therewith;]
2[(e) "mechanical vehicle" means any laden or unladen
vehicle designed to be driven under its own power
including a motor vehicle as defined in 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);
3[(ff) 'private participation' means the parti cipation in
development, maintenance or operation of road
projects by any person other than the State Government
1 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 2
2 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
3 Inserted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 2
or public body, as may be permitted by the State
Government from time to time;]
1[(g) "road" means a road or section of road or by-pass other
than a national highway, specified in the Second
Schedule and shall include such other road or section
of the road or by-pass, as may from time to time, be
notified by the State Government in this behalf;
2[(gg) “road project” means a project, which may involve
development, construction, repair, renovation,
expansion, alteration, replacement, maintenance or
operation of any road and/or bridge;]
(ggg) “road overbridge” means a road overbridge that
crosses above a rail way track as specified in the First
Schedule and shall include such road overbridges as
may, from time to time, be notified as such by the State
Government;
(gggg) “road under-bridge” means a road under -bridge that
crosses under a railway track, and which is notified as
such by the State Government;]
(h) "Schedule" means a Schedule appended to this Act;
(i) "State Government" means the Government of State of
Punjab3[; and]
4[(j) “vehicular under -pass” means a road under vehicular
crossing that crosses under a road, bypass and as
notified by the State Government in this behalf, from
time to time.]
3. 5[(1) There shall be levied and paid to the State Government
on every mechanical vehicle using a road project, a toll at such rate
as may be notified, for each mechanical vehicle by the State
Government from time to time, but not exceeding the maximum
rates as specified in the Third Schedule. The State Government may,
notify different rates of toll for roads, bypasses, bridges, flyovers,
elevated roads, vehicular under -passes, road over -bridges or road
under-bridges:
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 2
2 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
3 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
4 Added by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 2
5 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 3
Rate of toll and its
payment.
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 by notification:
Provided further that no toll shall be levied on vehicles of
armed forces and such other mechanical vehicles or class of
mechanical vehicles or 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:
Provided further that without prejudice to the liability of a
person under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act No.59 of
1988), the State Government may, by notification, levy an additional
toll, not exceeding the toll of the double amount, payable on any
goods vehicle, carrying more than the permissible weight under
that Act.]
(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.
1[4. (1) Without prejudice to the provisions of section 3 of this
Act, it shall be lawful for the State Government to lease the
collection of toll on a bridge or road or road project to authorize for
such collection, -
(i) to any person by invitation of bids for a period, as
decided by the State Government, where such road
project was constructed, developed, operated and/or
maintained by the State Government or under any
private funded project and deposit of agreed amount
with the authority under the contract agreement or to be
paid an amount out of total collection, as may be agreed
upon under the aforesaid agreement; or
(ii) to a person, who invested his own money for
construction, development, operation and maintenance
1 Substituted by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2014, Section 4
Power to lease or
authorized the
collection of toll.
of such road project for the agreed period and at the
agreed rate under the concession agreement and in such
a case, the lessee will retain the amount of toll,
collected to the extent, as agreed upon under the
aforesaid agreement; or
(iii) to a person, who invested his own money for operation
and maintenance of such road project for the agreed
period and at the agreed rate under the concession
agreement and in such a case, the lessee will retain the
amount of toll, collected to the extent, as agreed upon
under the aforesaid agreement.
(2) Where the collection of toll has been leased under sub-
section (1), any person employed by the lessee shall, subject to the
conditions of lease, exercise the powers and perform the duties
conferred and imposed on the Fee Inspector under this Act or the
rules made thereunder.
(3) The lessee and all the persons employed by him i n the
management and collection of toll shall be bound by the orders made
by the authority:
Provided that any order, which affects the terms and
conditions of a concession agreement or contract agreement, as the
case may be, shall be made with the prior approval of the State
Government.]
5. (1) A person driving the mechanical vehicle shall cause the
vehicle to stop when required to do so by the Fee Inspector to enable
him to carry out duties imposed on him by or under this Act.
(2) The Fee Inspector shall perform such other duties as are
specified in the rules made under this Act for carrying out the
purposes of this Act.
6. (1) Whoever -
(a) attempts to cross the bridge or use the road wit hout
complying with the provisions of this Act;
(b) obstructs or attempts to obstruct the Fee Inspector in
the discharge of his duties imposed by or under this
Act;
(c) contravenes or attempts to contravene any provision of
this Act or the rules made thereunder or any order or
direction made under such provisions or rules; or
(d) fails to pay the toll;
Power of Fee
Inspector.
Offences and
Penalties.
shall be liable on conviction to a fine which may extend to 1[three
thousand rupees:]
2[Provided that if a person pays the amount of toll and penalty
equal to the toll on demand by the Fee Inspector or the
concessionaire, as the case may be, he shall not be liable for
conviction.]
(2) No Magistrate shall take cognizance of any offence
under this Act except on a complaint, in writing, made by the Fee
Inspector.
7. Any person aggrieved in connection with the collection of toll
may lodge a complaint to the authority who shall, after giving a
reasonable opportunity of being heard to the complainant, pass such
orders as it may deem fit in the matter within fifteen days from the
date of 3[lodging the complaint:]
4[Provided that any order which affects the terms and
conditions of a concession agreement, shall be issued with the prior
approval of the State Government.]
8. (1) Any person aggrieved by an order passed under section
7 of this Act may, within thirty days of the communication of that
order, appeal to the appellate authority.
(2) The appellate authority may, after giving reasonable
opportunity of being heard to the appellant and the authority, pass
such an order either rejecting the appeal or accepting the appeal, as
in the circumstances of the case it may deem fit.
(3) The decision of the appellate authority on the appeal
shall be final and shall not be questioned in any court excepting the
High Court of competent jurisdiction.
9. No suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall lie
against any person authorised to act or for anything done or
purporting to have been done in good faith under this Act or the rules
made thereunder.
10. No civil court shall have jurisdiction in any matter which the
State Government or any other person or authority is empowered by
this Act or the rules made thereunder to dispose of or take
1 Substituted for words and sign “three thousand rupees.” by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 5
2 Added by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 5
3 Substituted for words and sign “lodging the complaint.” by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 6
4 Added by Punjab Act No. 2 of 2006, Section 6
Complaints.
Appeals.
Bar to
proceedings.
Exclusion of
jurisdiction of
civil court.
cognizance of, and regarding the manner in which the State
Government or such person or authority exercises any power vested
in it or him by or under this Act or the rules made thereunder.
11. The State Government may, by notification, make rules,
consistent with this Act, for securing the levy and collection of toll
and generally for carrying out the purposes of this Act.
Power to make
rules.
THE FIRST SCHEDULE
[See section 2(c)]
(i) Railway Over Bridge at Morinda.
(ii) Neelon Bridge on Sirhind Canal, on Chandigarh-Ludhiana
Road.
(iii) Chandigarh-Kurali Via Parole Road-Parole Bridge.
(iv) Tanda Sri Hargobindpur Bridge on Beas river.
THE SECOND SCHEDULE
[See section 2(g)]
(i) Chandigarh-Ludhiana road.
(ii) Ropar-Nawanshahar-Phagwara Road.
(iii) Hoshiarpur-Jalandhar Road.
THE THIRD SCHEDULE
(See section 3)
SCHEDULE OF RATE OF TOLL TO BE RECOVERED FROM
THE USERS OF THE FACILITY
Serial
No.
Particulars of vehicles Maximum
rate of fee
charged per
trip for a
bridge
Maximum rate of
fee per KM
charged per trip
for a road
1 Motor Cycle, Scooter or
any other two wheeler
mechanically propelled
vehicle
Nil Nil
2 Motor Car, Taxi, Jeep,
Pickup Van Station
Wagon, Tempo, Auto-
Rickshaw, Three- Wheeler
Scooter or other auto
driven light vehicles with
or without trailer
Rs. 30.00 Re. 1.00
3 Bus, Truck and other heavy
vehicles including truck-
trailer combination laden
with goods/passengers
unloaden
Rs. 100.00 Rs. 2.50
4 Other Mechanically
propelled vehicles not
mentioned above like
mobile crane dozers, earth
movers road roller, etc.
Loaded/Unloaded
Rs. 150.00 Rs. 4.00
1[Note: - For a road project as defined under section 2 of this Act,
where both road and bridge(s) form a part thereof, the maximum rate
of fee to be charged shall be determined as derived by adding the
maximum fee for such road and bridge(s), as given in the above
table.]
1 Added by Punjab Act No.2 of 2014, Section 5