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Toll Rates In This Indian State Set To Rise Up To 12% From April! All Details Here
Starting April 1, vehicle owners in Tamil Nadu will need to prepare for an increase in toll charges across various routes. The adjustments, ranging from a 3% to a 12% hike, will affect 44 toll plazas, including those on major highways leading into the city like the Paranur, Surapet on Chennai Bypass, and Pattaraiperumbudhur stretches.
This annual revision is part of a dual initiative by both the state and central governments, impacting not only National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) tolls but also four state-managed toll plazas on the Outer Ring Road (ORR).
Despite the impending rise in toll fees, the Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC), responsible for the ORR tolls, has not yet distributed Local Resident Passes (LRPs). These passes would enable free travel for residents living nearby, a benefit already extended to those residing along the East Coast Road (ECR). The lack of LRPs has been a point of contention for locals. "We argue with toll staff daily. Sometimes they accept Aadhaar or ration cards as proof, but what's stopping TNRDC from issuing LRPs like they do for ECR residents," lamented T Sadagopan, a Pattabiram resident-activist.
Concerns Over Infrastructure and Toll Continuation
Residents and transporters express dissatisfaction with the hike, pointing out the subpar infrastructure along these routes. Specifically, the ORR is criticized for its dimly lit exits, absence of fencing to prevent animals from entering the road, and littered service lanes.
Amid these grievances, the Union Minister Nitin Gadkari confirmed that toll collections would persist indefinitely, even after the recovery of project costs. This statement came in response to a query from DMK MP P Wilson, where Gadkari also dismissed the possibility of a Rs 3,000 annual pass.
The toll policy under the National Highways Fee Rules mandates continuous collection post the completion of build-operate-transfer projects, with the government assuming control of the tolls. This system ensures tolls on publicly funded roads increase annually, a practice that Gadkari defended by rejecting proposals for an audit on toll revenue usage. Critics, however, recall Gadkari's earlier promises to diminish tolls. "This is nothing new. He once promised removal of tolls within city limits and later talked about reducing fees to 40% after capital costs were recovered. Now, even that clause has disappeared from NH rules," observed S Yuvraj from the Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners' Association.
Revised Toll Rates on ORR
The TNRDC recently announced revised toll rates for the Vandalur-Minjur Outer Ring Road, effective from the upcoming financial year. Depending on the vehicle type, toll charges will see an increase between Rs 7 and Rs 33. For cars and three-wheelers traversing the full 62-km stretch, the toll has been set at Rs 140, up from Rs 133. Similarly, large vehicles will now be charged Rs 895 instead of Rs 862, with proportional increases for shorter distances. The toll for buses and two-axle vehicles for the entire distance is now Rs 470, up from Rs 452.
Despite the tollable distance being 62 km, the chargeable length is considered 94 km due to the inclusion of various infrastructure elements like interchanges, bridges, and flyovers. The revised toll structure is slated to remain in effect until March 31, 2026. In an effort to discourage overloading, the TNRDC has also announced that vehicles exceeding weight limits will incur fines ten times the applicable toll rate.
The ORR, a six-lane access-controlled highway connecting the Chennai-Tiruchy Highway at Vandalur with the Thiruvottiyur-Ponneri-Panchetti Road at Minjur, was developed under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model at a cost of Rs 1,081.4 crore. The daily vehicle count on this stretch is approximately 40,000.
DriveSpark Thinks
The toll rate hike across Tamil Nadu, including the ORR, has sparked a mix of reactions from the public, especially concerning the lack of local resident passes and the quality of road infrastructure. As the state braces for these changes, the debate over the justification and management of toll collections continues.
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