The National Highways Authority of India will increase the road tolls by 5 to 10 per cent from April 1, leading to complaints from various quarters about the condition of the highways not justifying the steadily rising toll rate. According to them, the average toll rate has gone up by 2.5 times in the last nine years.
Chennai:
However, NHAI officials said the user fee was being revised based on the Wholesale Price Index in accordance with the provisions of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.
From April 1, the user fee at 20 out of 43 toll plazas across the State will go up by Rs 5 to Rs 15 per vehicle. This includes Akkarai and Mahabalipuram (4-lane) and Mahabalipuram to Puducherry (6- lane) highways. The fee for the rest will be raised in September. Following this, the user fee for light motor vehicles will go up from Rs 55 to Rs 60, while the rate for light commercial vehicles will be increased to Rs 95 at this toll.
Similarly, at the Vangaram (Chennai Bypass) toll plaza (16.50 km), cars will have to pay Rs 40, while it will be Rs 95 at Paranur toll plaza in Chengalpattu (52.82 km), said an official notification from NHAI.
“The roads are poorly laid and many are incomplete, resulting in accidents. These highways are not adequately provided with necessary infrastructure, but agencies are extracting money from us,” complained S Yuvaraj, president, Tamil Nadu State Lorry Owners Federation (TNLOF).
However, NHAI officials said the user fee was being revised based on the Wholesale Price Index in accordance with the provisions of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.
From April 1, the user fee at 20 out of 43 toll plazas across the State will go up by Rs 5 to Rs 15 per vehicle. This includes Akkarai and Mahabalipuram (4-lane) and Mahabalipuram to Puducherry (6- lane) highways. The fee for the rest will be raised in September. Following this, the user fee for light motor vehicles will go up from Rs 55 to Rs 60, while the rate for light commercial vehicles will be increased to Rs 95 at this toll.
Similarly, at the Vangaram (Chennai Bypass) toll plaza (16.50 km), cars will have to pay Rs 40, while it will be Rs 95 at Paranur toll plaza in Chengalpattu (52.82 km), said an official notification from NHAI.