BANGALORE: The wait is finally over for motorists commuting to Nelamangala.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday night issued a final go-ahead declaring the Rs 720-crore elevated expressway and access-controlled corridor on Tumkur Road (NH-4) open to traffic.
A final gazette notification on the toll charges to be levied has been issued by the NHAI.
While entry of all kinds of four wheelers and heavy transport vehicles will be allowed, movement of two-wheelers have been prohibited on the corridor.
The concessionaire for the project, Navayuga Bengaluru Tollway (P) Limited will collect toll from midnight on December 10, said sources.
The opening has been a low-key affair according to the NHAI as the Union Ministry of Surface Transport and Highways gave the go-ahead without the usual pomp associated with mega infrastructure projects.
“We have issued the final notification on the toll charges to be collected/ levied by the concessionaire,” said a source in the NHAI. “As no communication was received to have it officially inaugurated, the NHAI decided to declare it open.” The stretch has been open to vehicle users on a free trial basis for the last seven months.
The 19.5km-stretch, combining the newly-constructed expressway and access-controlled road, will benefit an estimated 1.3 lakh motorists heading for Tumkur, Hassan, Mangalore, North Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The expressway consists of a sixlane axis control toll road leading to Nelamangala, along with a four-lane main carriageway and a three-lane service road.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic and Security) Praveen Sood said the toll expressway would come as a sign of relief to heavy traffic on Tumkur Road.
“The idea behind the corridor is to segregate traffic on the basis of local traffic and long distance interstate traffic,” said Sood. “We would expect 50 per cent of traffic on the road to move over on the elevated corridor.” He had a word of caution too.
“Motorists tend to drive at high speeds on the corridor,” he said. “My advice to drivers is that they should drive with a sense of responsibility as highway accidents could result in a chain reaction, if a collision takes place.”
Pay toll to commute
- Cars and Jeeps: Rs 15
- LCV and Mini-Trucks: Rs 25 Buses and Trucks: Rs 55
- Earth moving equipment and construction JCBs: Rs 85 Daily pass charges
- Cars and Jeeps: Rs 25
- LCV and Mini Trucks: Rs 40 and Rs 45
- HTV’s, Buses and Trucks: Rs 80 and Rs 85
- Earth Moving Equipment: Rs 125 Monthly Pass Charges (Limited to 60 trips)
- Cars and Jeeps: Rs 465
- LCV and Mini-Trucks: Rs 770
- HTV’s, Buses and Trucks: Rs 1585
- Earth Moving Equipment: Rs 2550
Know the road
- The 19.5-km toll road, with 4.5- km elevated portion and exits at NICE Road (WIDIA factory), Dasanapura and Nelamangala, will reduce journey time by at least 25 minutes.
- The road below the elevated road will continue to be toll-free.
Beyond that, the entire road, except for service roads, will be taxed.
- The toll road is expected to take the major share of heavy commercial vehicles. These developments will ease traffic movements beyond Yeshwanthpur towards Nelamangala.
- Traffic coming towards the city will face a major bottleneck at Goraguntepalya (Outer Ring Road-Tumkur Road Junction) where the Metro station is under construction. Five-lane traffic will converge here into a single lane.
This situation is likely to continue for another six months.