Rates go down in two toll plazas due to 6-laning works

The annual revision of user fees in 26 toll plazas which came into effect from April 1 was implemented on Monday when the tolling operations resumed. The NHAI has affected upward revision of toll rates by two to 10 per cent in 24 plazas, including Vanagaram, Surapattu, Paranur, Athur, Mathur, Krishnagiri, Boothakudi and Vaniyambadi, while two plazas saw reduction in user fees.

A senior NHAI official said that as per the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules 2008, the rate of user fee should be limited to 75 per cent of the fee or revised fee from the date of commencement of the work relating to upgradation.

“Since the six-laning work was underway between Walajahpet and Karaipettai section from February 2019, the revised user fee leviable at Chennasamudaram and Nemili toll plazas would be limited to 75 per cent,” the official said. He added that the six-laning works which came to halt in the wake of the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19 would be resumed after getting clearance from the Kancheepuram district administration. “We have sought permission from the district administration to resume widening works with the Centre partially lifting the lockdown,” the official said.

Meanwhile, the NHAI sources said that they could resume tolling operation at Paranur and Athur toll plazas on NH 45 as they did not get the police clearance. “We are trying to get the police permission to commence the toll collection in the two toll plazas,” the official said. An NHAI official said that the highways had suffered a revenue loss of Rs 5 crore a day since the suspension of the toll collection on March 24. At the toll plazas, he said that all the safety precaution, including social distancing and disinfection, would be carried out as per the State government direction.

“Since only commercial vehicles would be plying, we will be operating only a few toll lanes in each plaza. We also expect that most of the collection would be only through FASTag,” the official said, adding that if the vehicle did not have FASTag, they would try to collect the user fee through electronic mode and would receive cash only as a last resort.