CHENNAI: Travelling on the National Highways will burn a hole in the motorists’ pocket as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has increased user fee by three to five per cent at 20 toll gates across the State. The revised user fee will come into effect from April 1.
According to official sources, the vehicle user fee at 20 out of 46 toll plazas in the State set up by the NHAI will increase by Rs 5 to Rs 15 per vehicle. User fee for the rest will be raised in September. To travel up to 55 km, the user fee for car, jeep and light motor vehicles will be increased from Rs 55 to Rs 60 a trip. Similarly, for light commercial vehicles, light goods vehicles and mini-buses, the fee will be revised from Rs 90 to Rs 95 a trip.
The user fee for truck and bus will be increased from Rs 190 to Rs 195. The three-axle commercial vehicles will have to pay Rs 215 from April 1 as against the current charge of Rs 205.
As for the heavy construction machinery (HCM), earth-moving equipment and multi axle vehicles, the toll fee will be increased to Rs 305 to Rs 295. The user fee has also been revised to Rs 375 from Rs 365 for the over-sized vehicles which have seven and more axles.
The user fee on the National Highways is being revised according to the wholesale price index in accordance with the provisions of the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. Similarly, the user fee at the two toll plazas on the East Coast Road at Akkarai and Mahabalipuram has also been revised, according to official sources.
Toll plazas where fee is to be hiked from April 1