Get ready to pay toll while driving to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA),Nandi Hills,Hyderabad or beyond.The state government has given its go-ahead to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to collect levy on Bellary Road.
The toll will be introduced within a fortnight.Four-wheelers,buses and other heavy vehicles taking the main carriageway will pay a toll but those taking service roads will be spared.Two-wheelers will be spared too.
The toll plaza,damaged last April by those protesting against the toll,is now being rebuilt at Sadahalli Gate,about 0.5km before the Trumpet Intersection on the route to BIA.
The Karnataka government gave the green signal to collect toll a month ago.Twenty days ago,we wrote to Navayuga Engineering Company,which has been contracted with developing the road and collecting toll.It initially sought a months time but later said it would get the plaza ready in about 10 days from now, said AK Mathur,chief general manager (technical ),NHAI.
The move has raised the hackles of commuters."Road development work should have been completed.We're not going to allow them to collect toll from airport-bound vehicles.The toll plaza can be beyond the Trumpet Intersection,"said RK Holla,secretary,Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners' Association.
Holla claimed NHAI had only created some space for service roads and the corridors had not been clearly defined.He also said cabbies and other commuters would protest any move to levy toll."Three cab associations catering to airport traffic will certainly protest.We would not have had any problem if the highway drive had been made smoother and signal-free,"he explained.
Protests by cabbies and locals against the toll last April had turned violent,forcing authorities to call off the move within a few hours of its commissioning.The toll,if it becomes a reality,may force BMTC hike the fares on its Vayu Vajra service catering to air travellers.
Critics pointed out that the initial promise of the road to the international airport being a signal-free passage hasnt been kept and any toll decision would be a betrayal.
Corridor of uncertainty
Though NHAI claims service roads have been demarcated clearly and those using them neednt pay the toll,cab operators say the service road corridors have been undefined on several stretches.
TIME TO PAY UP: All four-wheelers,buses and other heavy vehicles taking the main carriageway will pay a toll.Those driving on service roads will be spared
The toll will be introduced within a fortnight.Four-wheelers,buses and other heavy vehicles taking the main carriageway will pay a toll but those taking service roads will be spared.Two-wheelers will be spared too.
The toll plaza,damaged last April by those protesting against the toll,is now being rebuilt at Sadahalli Gate,about 0.5km before the Trumpet Intersection on the route to BIA.
The Karnataka government gave the green signal to collect toll a month ago.Twenty days ago,we wrote to Navayuga Engineering Company,which has been contracted with developing the road and collecting toll.It initially sought a months time but later said it would get the plaza ready in about 10 days from now, said AK Mathur,chief general manager (technical ),NHAI.
The move has raised the hackles of commuters."Road development work should have been completed.We're not going to allow them to collect toll from airport-bound vehicles.The toll plaza can be beyond the Trumpet Intersection,"said RK Holla,secretary,Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners' Association.
Holla claimed NHAI had only created some space for service roads and the corridors had not been clearly defined.He also said cabbies and other commuters would protest any move to levy toll."Three cab associations catering to airport traffic will certainly protest.We would not have had any problem if the highway drive had been made smoother and signal-free,"he explained.
Protests by cabbies and locals against the toll last April had turned violent,forcing authorities to call off the move within a few hours of its commissioning.The toll,if it becomes a reality,may force BMTC hike the fares on its Vayu Vajra service catering to air travellers.
Critics pointed out that the initial promise of the road to the international airport being a signal-free passage hasnt been kept and any toll decision would be a betrayal.
Corridor of uncertainty
Though NHAI claims service roads have been demarcated clearly and those using them neednt pay the toll,cab operators say the service road corridors have been undefined on several stretches.
TIME TO PAY UP: All four-wheelers,buses and other heavy vehicles taking the main carriageway will pay a toll.Those driving on service roads will be spared
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