CHENNAI: Nearly seven years after it started collecting six-lane toll rates from motorists on the four-lane Sriperumbudur-Walajahapet stretch of the Chennai-Bengaluru bypass, the NHAI has slashed the user fee marginally. However, motorists won’t have any significant relief as the revised toll rates for 2020-21, which came into effect from April 1, will overshadow the effect.
Since Monday, the motorists travelling on the stretch through Nemili (Sriperumbudur) and Chennasamudram (Walajahpet) toll gates are being charged only 75 per cent of the rates on six-lane road, resulting in reduction of fees ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 35, depending on the vehicle.
“The four-lane stretch will be charged only 75 per cent of the six-lane fee in compliance with the provisions of National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008 until road up-gradation works are take up,” said an official order issued by the NHAI.
The widening of 71.19-km four-lane stretch into six lane has been delayed for nearly seven years and the pothole ridden road is causing inconvenience to scores of motorists daily. Despite this, the NHAI had been increasing the toll rates annually and collecting the six-lane fee. TN State Sand Lorry Owners Federation (TNSSLF) president S Yuvraj said that since the NHAI had charged six-lane fee for the four-lane road, the additional money collected in the last seven years should be adjusted towards the project cost and that vehicles should be exempted from paying toll on the stretch for an year.
Rs 5 to Rs 35
Since Monday, the motorists travelling on the stretch through Nemili (Sriperumbudur) and Chennasamudram (Walajahpet) toll gates are being charged only 75 per cent of the rates
Welcome move
Now, after the Madras High Court came down heavily on the poor maintenance of the stretch, the NHAI has marginally slashed the user fee. This step has been taken after seven years