Road toll systems, the introduction of which have long been bandied about in the Sultanate of Oman, are likely to be a reality, although their application will likely be initially limited to dedicated truck roads, the first of which is planned in Dhofar Governorate.
At their annual media briefing earlier this week, officials of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MCTIT) said a system of road user charges is being contemplated as part of a raft of initiatives to drive the growth of the country’s multimodal transportation network.
Experts believe the proposed move accords with the Omani government’s current fiscal sustainability policies which envision, among other things, a more prominent role for the private sector in infrastructure development based on the Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) model.
First mulled during the construction of the Muscat-Sur coastal road, which opened in 2008, toll systems were also subsequently envisaged as part of the Batinah Expressway and Sharqiya Expressway projects. But authorities shelved plans for their implementation as a gesture to the country’s sizable motoring population.
However, with the enactment of a PPP Law in 2020, coupled with the government’s advocacy of private finance in future infrastructure projects, toll systems are set to be an inevitable part of the transportation landscape in the Sultanate of Oman, according to a well-known expert on urban transportation.
“Toll systems on highway projects are usually implemented in the PPP mode, which are seen as effective measures for risk and benefit-sharing between the government and the private sector,” says Prof Rakesh Belwal of Sohar University’s Business Department. “There are scientific methods, such as the optimal values of the Minimum Revenue Guarantee and Toll Revenue Cap, to optimize the revenues and risks arising from such ventures. The same toll road can charge differential toll rates according to the type of vehicles, purpose (for example ambulance, school buses etc), and time (for example, toll-free time).”
In remarks to the Observer, Prof Belwal also noted that toll systems will help improve, among other things, the overall road user experience for motorists. “The introduction of tolls will help in dealing with the problems associated with population growth and the huge penetration of vehicles and associated traffic congestion problems. This could help in inducing drivers to take alternative routes, and thus better distribute traffic across the road network. Besides, it will help in developing and maintaining the road infrastructure sustainably,” he stated.
The first toll system is anticipated to come up on a new truck road proposed to connect Thamrait with Salalah in Dhofar Governorate. It envisions the construction of an efficient, all-weather alternative to the current 85-km carriageway that, as part of the arterial Adam – Salalah, currently serves as the only lifeline connecting the north of Oman with Dhofar Governorate.
The latter’s sharp bends and steep gradients, as its twists and turns through the Dhofar Mountains, makes it prone to accidents and frequent traffic snarls. Furthermore, an upsurge in mining, quarrying and farming activity in the Thamrait area in recent years has resulted in a sharp increase in the number of heavy trucks and commercial vehicles headed to Salalah city and its transhipment hub.
According to Prof Belwal, technological advancements mean that modern toll roads will likely be equipped with seamless virtual electronic toll gates that do not require vehicle to pause at any barrier for payment of the user charge. Electronic toll systems will ensure smooth and congestion-free traffic flows, he added.
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