Chaos as toll collection opens at Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway; Karnataka Congress detained

On the 1st day of toll collection on the newly inaugurated Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, Congress and pro-Kannada organizations staged protest against the 'high rate of toll' levied on motorists using the expressway. Heavy police have been deployed at Kaniminike toll plaza in view of protest.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has decided to collect toll on the newly inaugurated Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway from 8 am today. Toll will be collected for using the six-lane main carriage of the expressway from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta. The length of the stretch between the two points is around 55 km.

"The main carriage of six-laning of the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta Section of NH-275 is completed and National Highways Authority of India headquarters has issued an order to start collecting the toll. After a meeting with the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police Ramanagara, it has been decided to collect the toll from 28.02.2023, 8 am," the notification read as quoted by Mysuru daily.

The expressway project has two phases - the first is from Bengaluru to Nidaghatta in Maddur taluk for around 56 km and the second package connects Nidaghatta to Mysuru, 61 kilometres.

How much is the toll fee?

As per the notification, the fee for a single journey on the Bengaluru-Nidaghatta section will range from Rs 135 to Rs 880, depending on the category of the vehicle.

The vehicles have been categorised into six types.

Car owners will have to pay Rs 135 for a single trip on Bengaluru-Nidaghatta section, while Rs 205 if they are returning the same day. The toll rate for mini-bus will be Rs 220 and for buses, it will be Rs 460 (single journey).bHeavy construction machinery will be charged Rs 720 for a single trip.

However, the toll rates are likely to change when the second stretch between Nidaghatta to Mysuru is opened.

According to reports, the NHAI is expected to earn Rs 5 crore per day from the toll, which means it will earn Rs 2,444 cr a year. The contract has been given to collect the toll for 10 years. Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari had earlier said that Rs 8,408 crore was spent to construct the highway. In 10 year, 20,444 crore toll would be collected.

The new 119 km expressway, without doubt will reduce the travel time Bengaluru and Mysuru from 3 hours to 75 minutes. The 10-lane road, is featuring 6 main carriageway lanes and 2 service road lanes on either side has 6 bypasses - Bidadi, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya and Srirangapatna, all of which are open for traffic now.