Kannada activists protest the collection of toll at the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway on Tuesday | Shashidhar Byrappa
BENGALURU: The Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway turned chaotic as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) started toll collection from 8 am on Tuesday. The Kaniminike toll booth ahead of the entrance of the expressway turned into a protest site with Congress workers and pro-Kannada activists slamming the state and Central government for collecting tolls without completing the expressway. As the protest started to affect vehicle movement, the police force was beefed up in the area.
KPCC president D K Shivakumar, who went on the expressway, got down from his car, went to the toll booth and collected the receipt himself. He posted a picture of the toll receipt on Twitter and said that he too experienced the problems faced by people and said that for his travel from Bidadi to Ramanagara, he was made to pay Rs 270, while the actual toll charge was Rs 135.
Users of the road complained that the toll charges were exorbitant and in the absence of a service road, collecting toll was nothing but looting the common people. “I wanted to go to Srirangapatna and used the expressway. While the road is good, the fee collected is too high,” complained Prashanth, a resident of Kengeri.
Protesters said that the expressway is unfinished, the locals are not provided passes. They said it even lacks basic amenities like toilets and alleged that it has snatched the livelihood of hundreds of hoteliers and handicraft artisans.
The toll charges from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta in Mandya district covering a distance of 55.63 km are - Rs 135 for cars, Rs 460 for buses and trucks, and the fee goes up to Rs 880 depending on the vehicle type for single journey. The two-way journey for a car is Rs 205, Rs 690 for buses and truck, and goes up to Rs 1,315. Vehicles without FASTag will be charged double.
