Dreaming of a free ride on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) stretch between Patancheru and Shamirpet in the next few weeks? Forget it.
This 35.6-km stretch, which was opened to traffic in December last, will soon have toll collection booths.
After this phase of ORR winding through Sultanpur, Dundigal, Kandlakoya and Medchal before culminating at Shamirpet was inaugurated, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) had called for tenders for collection of user fee.
ADVERTISEMENT
But none came forward despite an extension of date forcing the authorities to make a second call.
P.K. Hospitality Services, which is collecting toll on the ORR I phase, has submitted a bid for this stretch too.
“This bid has been cleared for technical and financial aspects. A committee will go through them before making recommendations to the Metropolitan Commissioner for a final decision,” an official said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Poor response
This stretch did not evoke much response from toll collection agencies given the short term till March 2014 available to recover their investments. The minimum amount payable by the bidder has been fixed at Rs.39.70 lakh per month and the lone bid quoted around Rs. 25,000 more than that. Officials attributed the short recovery time as the main reason behind the poor response from the toll agencies.
“Once toll gates are in place, vehicles will not be able to drive on the wrong side and the ban on entry of two and three-wheelers will be implemented effectively. These measures help in prevention of accidents,” an official explained.
Tolling on the ORR first phase covering Pedda Amberpet-Patancheru and the link road connecting Gachibowli began in September 2012 at the interchanges of Pedda Amberpet, Bongulur, Raviryal, Thukkuguda, Pedda Golkonda, Shamshabad, Rajendranagar, APPA, Kokapet, Nanakramguda, Edulanagulapally and Patancheru.
Meanwhile, work on the last arc of ORR connecting Shamirpet with Pedda Amberpet, which got delayed, is likely to be completed towards the year-end.