BENGALURU: Motorists using the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway will have to pay Rs 30 more for a single journey from April 1.
On the directions of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revised the toll rates. NHAI officials say this is part of the annual revision done across the country.
As per the directions, a car/ jeep/van
will have to pay Rs 165 for a single journey instead of Rs 135 and Rs 250 for the return journey.
As per the NHAI order issued on March 27, motorists have to pay the revised rates from April 1 at Kaniminike and Sheshagiri Halli toll plaza for the six-lane Bengaluru-Niddaghatta section.
The toll was introduced on March 14 after PM Narendra Modi inaugurated the expressway on March 12. Many motorists and leaders of some political parties have been opposing the high toll rates and lack of service roads since then. Moreover, within a few days of the introduction of the toll, the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) hiked its bus fares by including the toll fee.
Toll revision done every new financial year: NHAI
“The toll rates have been revised all over India and it is a regular revision during the new financial year. Every activity has a calendar that has to be followed. We had to start levying the toll from December 2022. But due to various reasons, it was not done. Now that it has been imposed, people are opposing it,” a senior NHAI official told The New Indian Express.
Asked why an exemption could not be made on stretches where the toll was introduced just a few days ago, the official bluntly said that the question was not relevant. “Don’t ask such baseless questions. If people do not want to pay the toll, they can use the service road or other alternative roads. The decision has been taken as per the government policy. If anyone has an objection, they can write to NHAI or the ministry,” the official said.
The NHAI order says that on return journeys within 24 hours of payment of toll, there will be a 25-per cent discount for all categories of vehicles. There will also be a 33-per cent discount for all vehicles using a monthly pass for 50 single journeys from the date of payment.