Taking toll: 12 minutes per car!

It is a real nightmare heading back to the City from the Bengaluru International Airport now, with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) introducing toll collection at Sadarahalli Gate. From the time a car gets into the queue of vehicles at the eight toll booths, till the time it gets out, it takes all of 12 minutes.

The NHAI officials had announced that toll collection would not affect the flow of traffic and that they had installed enough booths to avoid traffic pile-ups at this point. But passengers had a different story to narrate. If 12 minutes was the time taken for a car during off-peak hours, one can only imagine the delays the toll booths would cause when the traffic coming out of the airport is high.

Taxis to go off road from today
Air passengers flying out of Bengaluru will have a tough time as taxi drivers are beginning their strike from Monday, protesting against toll collection at Sadarahalli Gate. At the stroke of 9 am the taxi drivers will stop ferrying passengers to the Bengaluru International Airport, putting travelling plans of many in jeopardy. The plight of those flying into Bengaluru would be worse, as they would not find taxis to bring them to the City.

“Our key demand is the introduction of a monthly pass system for taxis at `600 per pass with multiple entry and exit option. We had a meeting with officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Friday and requested them to consider our request. We are starting the strike from 9 am on Monday and will withdraw it only after NHAI officials give a written assurance on the passes,” said All-India Motor Transport Congress Managing Committee Member K.G. Ravindra.

But NHAI officials said the decision on issuing passes could be taken only by the central government. “Introducing monthly passes for airport taxis or providing concessions is not in our hands. Toll collection has been decided by the Union government and they are the right authority for any further orders too. I don’t think we can offer any further concession on toll collection at Sadarhalli Gate on NH-7,” said NHAI Chief General Manager (Technical) A.K. Mathur. The Karnataka Maxi-cab Owners’ Association, Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association, KSTDC and majority of taxi operators are taking part in the strike. It is estimated that around 15,000 taxis that provide pick-up and drop facility to airport passengers will remain off the road.