A tollgate on the Hanoi Highway in HCMC. All BOT tollgates in the cities and provinces practicing social distancing have been suspended - PHOTO: TNO

HCMC - The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam has ordered a suspension of all tollgates in the Covid-19-hit southern cities and provinces from July 20 to support the fight against the pandemic.

The directorate has written to investors of the BOT traffic projects and the governments of these southern localities telling them to close the toll stations to aid the Covid combat. Toll collection will resume when the local governments lift their stay-at-home orders, the local media reported.

At the tollgates in the areas unaffected by the pandemic, fee exemptions should be extended to vehicles transporting medicines, machines, medical equipment and cargo.

Vehicles transporting medical workers to coronavirus-hit areas and people from coronavirus hotspots to other localities are also exempt from toll fees.

The Directorate for Roads of Vietnam has asked local road management departments to monitor the toll collection suspension.