JOIN US And this, with the approval of the Union Road Transport and Highways ministry. Unlike in many of its other PPP projects, NHAI will begin levying toll on all vehicles using NH-7 going to and beyond the Bengaluru International Airport (BIA), with effect from April, well before the expressway is completed.
Although the rates will be fixed by NHAI in line with the ‘Toll Policy for National Highways, 2008’, NHAI sources told Deccan Herald the money will go into Navyuga Consortium’s coffer. “This is under a concessional agreement between NHAI and the consortium for 20 years,” sources pointed out.
The consortium was being allowed to collect toll as an alternative to NHAI’s contribution to the project. “This will ensure NHAI does not spend any money on the project,” they said.
The consortium is expected to recover the money by collecting toll before and after the expressway is completed, till the end of the concessional period. Besides, the toll plaza will be placed at its current location just before the trumphet flyover leading to BIA, even as various stakeholders have been protesting the move which was aimed at making the most from vehicles plying to the airport.
With the time-frame for completion estimated to be around two years, the expressway is proposed to ease traffic. Sources said on an average the 22.12 km stretch from Hebbal to BIA will likely cost a motorist about Rs 20 to Rs 25, one way.
“With two service lanes and an eight-lane expressway, it is going to ease vehicular movement,” sources said. However, with apprehensions that the project might not be completed in two years, the Centre has not ruled out a deadline extension. The delay, sources said, could be due to the slow progress in the land acquisition process.
NHAI is in the process of finalising the rates for vehicles and has proposed “they be slashed by half until the project is completed as there will be road blocks till the toll plaza.”