Union govt urged to shut five toll gates near Chennai

Reports of fudging of toll collection data fuel clamour for closure
File photo of vehicles passing through the Vanagaram toll plaza near Chennai | Express
File photo of vehicles passing through the Vanagaram toll plaza near Chennai | Express

CHENNAI: In wake of complaints over fudging of toll collection and poor upkeep of National Highways around Chennai, State Highways Minister E V Velu has urged the Union government to shut five toll gates. The five toll gates are Vanagram and Surapattu on Chennai bypass, Paranur on Tambaram - Tiruchy NH; Chennasamuthram (Walajah) and Nemili (Sriperumbudur) on Chennai - Bengaluru bypass road.

While Paranur toll gate had been collecting user fees since April 2005, two toll plazas on Chennai bypass collect user fees since March 2003. The Chennasamudram and Nemili toll plazas started functioning in 2013 even though the four-lane road was not made six lane between Sriperumbudur and Walajah on Bengaluru bypass.

The demand for closure of the toll gates gained momentum recently in wake of reports that toll collection went up by 20 to 25 % post introduction of the mandatory electronic payment system. According to RTI obtained by TNIE, from April 1st 2005 to September 30, 2018, NHAI collected Rs 1,098 crore user fee at Athur and Paranur toll gates on Tambaram - Tindivanam NH, which was developed at an estimation of `536 crore. The road was developed using public funds.

However, NHAI claimed as of August 2019, Rs 354 had to be collected to reduce user fee by 60%. Similarly, another RTI sourced by TNIE revealed fudging of user fee collection at Paranur toll. After implementation of the electronic payment system, the number of tolled vehicles crossing Paranur toll gate rose by 150% in July last compared to pre-Covid times of July 2019.

Following poor maintenance and delay in widening into six lane between Sriperumbudur and Walajah, the Madras High Court slashed the user fee by 50% at Chennasamudram and Nemili toll gates since December 2020.

The toll collection at Vanagaram (Porur) and Suprapattu on Chennai bypass road was no different. While both toll gates collect an average of `100 to 120 crore user fee a year, the NHAI in its RTI reply to TNIE in August 2018 maintained that not even 50% of cumulative expenses for developing the road was recovered.
In his memorandum submitted to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday, Velu said toll gates located within Corporation and municipality limits causing a lot of hardship to motorists entering Chennai from neighbhouring districts.

“The continued functioning of toll gates may result in public outrage as they have been collecting user fee for several years,” Velu told media persons in New Delhi on Thursday. In August last year, the Minister had informed the Assembly that the State government would take efforts to shut five toll gates.

A few other projects which Velu demanded are extension of the proposed eight-lane widening of Tambaram - Chengalpattu NH up to Tindivanam; extension of the proposed elevated six-lane flyover between Maduravoyal and Poonamallee up to Sriperumbudur; extension of proposed elevated corridor between Madhavaram Junction and Red Hills on Chennai - Kolkata NH up to Outer ring road.

In addition, he also emphasised on developing elevated flyovers in Tiruchy - Thuvakudi section and Tambaram - Chengalpattu NHs, widening of Coimbatore - Sathyamangalam NH, building of half ring roads for Coimbatore and Tiruchy cities. However, there was no mention of resuming the Chennai - Salem expressway.

The Minister also urged Gadkari to expedite works to notify eight highways which were granted in principle approval for upgradation as National Highways.

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