Toll rates at over 20 plazas under the control of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the State are to be revised from April 1. This annual revision is based on the wholesale price index and is calculated using a rule enforced in 2008.
Sources in the NHAI said the revised rates would be nominal and would not even constitute a 2% hike in most cases. “There will be some increase in monthly pass rates. In some cases where road widening is happening, the rates are yet to be finalised and will come into force along with other plazas on the appointed date,” the official said.
“The rates of remaining plazas would be revised from September 1 and the calculation for those is done based on the rule that came into force in 1997,” he added.
Plazas at Athur, Boothakudi, Chennasamudram, Krishnagiri, Vagaikulam, Paranur, Vanur, Sriperumbudur, Vaniyambadi and Surapattu are among a few where the revision would come into force.
Impeding movement
He also added that if more motorists opted for RFID cards, it would help cut down waiting time at toll plazas. There are a total of 43 toll plazas under the control of the NHAI in the State, with the oldest ones being on the Chennai bypass at Surapet and Vanagaram, where tolling began in June 2003.
P.V. Subramani, vice-president (south zone), All India Motor Transport Congress said toll plazas and RTO checks on the roads had always been troubling transporters, impeding vehicle movement.
“After the implementation of GST and now with the impending elections and financial year-end, vehicle movement has come down and so we don’t witness many traffic jams. We hope that the new government will make some way to get rid of the toll plazas and the RTO presence on roads,” he said.
