CHENNAI: By adding just 1.5 metres of road on either side, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has converted the 110km two-lane Vellore-Tiruvannamalai-Villupuram National Highway (NH) into a tolled road.
The three toll plazas — Vallam, Enamkariyanandal, and Thennamadevi — located on the road have collected about Rs 36 crore in 20 months from April 2023 to November 2024 while the total fund spent on the project by the union government was only Rs 273 crore, revealed data sourced through RTI by TNIE.
Unlike other road projects executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the Vellore-Villupuram NH-234 was upgraded using funds exclusively allocated by MoRTH, with no bank loans involved.
This means motorists are essentially paying vehicle user fee at tolls for travelling on a highway that was upgraded using their own contributions through fees, cess, and other taxes. As per RTI data, the average monthly collection in the three tolls stands at Rs 1.82 crore.
MoRTH’s primary revenue sources include the cess levied on petrol and diesel under the Central Road Fund and fee from driving licences and vehicle registrations.
‘Road poorly designed, no facility at toll plazas’
The two-lane road was marginally widened from 5 metres to 8.5 metres during the expansion work carried out by the NH wing of the state highways between 2018 and 2023. Toll collection began in January 2023.
Officials from the NH wing (state highways) said NH Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008 permit the establishment of toll plazas on highways widened using government funds. “The conversion of a road into a tolled one does not require any consent or approval from the state government after it was handed over to MoRTH,” said an official.
When TNIE travelled through the 110-kilometer stretch, it was evident NH section has been plagued with plenty of issues including poor visibility caused by frequent curves, encroachments on both sides of the road from Vellore Bus Stand to Adukkumparai, lack of signage boards, absence of road overbridges at railway level crossings, and no flyovers at major junctions. These problems are exacerbated during Pournami Girivalam days when the highway sees heavy traffic towards Tiruvannamalai from both Vellore and Villupuram, significantly increasing the risk for motorists.
The NH witnessed huge congestion at Kannamangalam and Kaniyambadi junctions during peak hours. A large number of motorists from Chittoor, Pakala, and other parts of Andhra Pradesh, who regularly visit the Tiruvannamalai Arunachaleswarar Temple use the Vellore-Tiruvannamalai NH. They allege that the road was poorly designed and there was no facility at toll plazas.
The RTI data further disclosed that from May 2023 to November 2024, a total of 244 accidents were recorded on the stretch in which 18 people lost their lives, 54 were grievously injured, and 116 were left with minor injuries.
Interestingly, the average monthly toll collection stands at Rs 85 lakh for Vallam, Rs 69 lakh for Enamkariyanandal, and Rs 28 lakh for Thennamadevi. In contrast, state highways, funded through road taxes and state allocations, develop four-lane and six-lane roads and build bridges with project costs ranging from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000 crore that are still toll-free. The state highway has spent an average of Rs 100 to Rs 110 crore for construction per km for flyovers/bridges in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, and Tiruchy in recent years.
Around 335 government buses registered in Vellore, Villupuram, and Tiruvannamalai districts cross the toll plazas monthly at subsidised rates, while other buses purchase monthly passes allowing 50 trips.
S Ram Charan, a resident of Chittoor, said, “I have been visiting the Tiruvannamalai temple for 15 years. The road has seen no significant improvements since 2017, but was converted into a tolled road. Poor visibility at curves and medians in the middle of the road often lead to dangerous overtaking attempts by buses, putting commuters at risk.”