Will toll-free highways be a short-lived populist measure after traffic congestions and other side effects rose to the fore during the recent eight-day National Day holiday?

Some economists certainly hope so. For example, Li Daokui, noted professor of economics and former adviser to China's central bank, mocked the toll-free policy saying it created a world record for stupidity and blamed it for causing gridlocks on national highways.

In a widely circulated micro blog post, Li said the toll should have been raised by 50 percent instead and the extra revenue collected spent on opening more schools in rural areas or building more aircraft carriers.