Fare to go up in 25 toll plazas on NHs in Tamil Nadu, come Sept 1

CHENNAI: Travelling on National Highways is all set to get costlier from September 1 as the National Highways Authority of India will hike user fees in 25 toll plazas across the State. The fare will go up by Rs 5 to Rs 150 a trip, depending on the type of vehicle.

According to the NHAI officials, the fee hike comes into effect annually as per the concessionaire agreement. The toll fee was hiked based on the wholesale price index as per the National Highways Fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008.

Currently, the State has 67 functional toll plazas set up by the NHAI. Among them, the user fee is revised in 25 toll gates every year on September 1, while the rest of the plazas undergo fee revision on April 1.

NHAI sources said the hike would be nominal varying from five to seven per cent in the toll plazas across the State for all classes of vehicles.

A Koyambedu trader complained that the hike in the user fees of the toll plazas would push up freight charges of truckers who transport vegetables, fruits and other essentials from various parts of the state and districts to Chennai.

"Already the prices of the pulses, rice and vegetables are on the higher side. The annual revision of the toll charges will add to it," the trader noted.

The toll plazas in Tamil Nadu collected a whopping Rs 4,221 crore in 2023-24 which is 10 per cent more than Rs 3,817 crore collected in 2022-23.

Tamil Nadu stands fifth among the State-wise toll charges collected in the country with Uttar Pradesh topping the country with a collection of Rs 6,961 crore, Rajasthan (Rs 5,954 crore), Maharashtra (Rs 5,352 crore) and Gujarat (Rs 4,781 crore).

In Tamil Nadu, L&T Krishnagiri Thopur toll plaza has collected the highest of Rs 269 crore while Krishnagiri toll plaza has the second highest collection of Rs 257 crore.

In the recent Lok Sabha polls, major political parties in the State including DMK, AIADMK, Left parties, Naam Tamilar, PMK and VCK except the BJP promised in their poll manifestoes to close down the toll plazas on the National Highways.

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10% UP

Rs 4,221 cr

-- Toll collected in Tamil Nadu in 2023-24

Rs 3,817 cr

-- Toll collected in State's NHs in 2022-23

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~ Vikravandi Toll Plaza

~ Morattandi Toll Plaza

~ Omallur Toll Plaza

~ Samayapuram Toll Plaza

~ Krishnagiri Toll Plaza