Pay toll on the way to airport from midnight; Rs 5 hike from April 1

It will be a double whammy for those going to the airport by their own vehicles or by cabs. While all vehicles will have to pay the toll at the entry itself from Tuesday midnight, they have to shell out Rs 5 more from April 1, when the toll charges will be revised.

Navayuga Devanahalli Toll Plaza Ltd, (NDTPL) which had planned to collect toll at the entry from Monday midnight, deferred it by 24 hours.

NDTPL manager Amarnath Reddy told DH that the police failed to provide security from Monday forcing them to defer the two-way toll by 24 hours.

When contacted, Kala Krishnamurthy DCP (Northeast) said they are assessing the situation based on which a decision will be taken.

Meanwhile, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) project director R K Suryawanshi said toll will be hiked by around Rs 5 on all vehicles. It is an annual exercise, he said.

This means, the two-way toll will be Rs 130 with effect from April 1 while a one-way toll will become Rs 90.

Airport travellers will not face problems of traffic jams since additional booths have been installed, officials said.

Impending traffic jams
As many as 15 additional toll booths, including four mobile booths installed at NDTPL plaza to collect toll from vehicles going towards airport are set to cause a traffic jams and create confusion among highway users.

The four mobile booths are installed 100 metres ahead of the toll plaza just before the trumpet flyover. Towards the city, there are nine toll booths, including three mobile booths.

Earlier, airport vehicles and highway vehicles (going towards Hyderabad) were let off on four lanes without stopping. Airport vehicles were paying their toll at 17 booths on their return. Now, toll would be paid both ways.

Single lane for
highway users

A single lane has been reserved for highway vehicles which could lead to confusion at least for a few weeks as the reserved lane is not clearly indicated.

"Initially, new toll booths and separation of lanes may cause confusion among motorists,'' Reddy said.

These additional toll booths were installed after the toll-free alternative road from Begur was thrown open to the public in mid-March. Reddy said that they were losing Rs 15 to 20 lakh a day after the alternative road was open.

NDTPL has opened only one lane on both sides for highway vehicles to pass the toll and pay toll at another toll plaza situated one km ahead of the airport toll plaza.

NDTPL has put up many barricades to separate highway vehicles and vehicles paying at mobile booths. Users fear this will lead to confusion and accidents, especially at night and during rain, as barricades have no proper signage.

Risk of missing flights

K Radhakrishna Holla of the Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association said the city's motorists use just 22.12 km of the highway including 4.5 km of the elevated stretch. Charging Rs 85 for one-way use is too high, he said.

"Officials are not concerned about people's problems. Blocking traffic is an offence. This is the reason why toll booths towards Hyderabad and Delhi airports were removed. Paying toll is not a problem, but saving time is important. If people miss flights, who will be held responsible?"