The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Saturday, April 1 decided to hold the decision to raise toll charges on the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway by 22 per cent. The decision was made amid heavy criticism that toll charges on the expressway were raised within a fortnight of the road opening for traffic.
The NHAI had decided to raise the toll charges on the newly opened expressway from Rs 135 to Rs 165 for cars, jeeps, and vans for a single journey from April 1. For a round trip, the charges were increased from Rs 205 to Rs 250. Toll charges for other vehicle categories were also increased with the journey for light commercial vehicles and mini buses increasing from Rs 220 to Rs 270. The amount was increased to Rs 565 for buses and trucks.
However, following opposition from motorists about the steep toll charges, the NHAI reversed its decision on Saturday morning, moments after the collection of revised fares had begun. Mysuru MP Pratap Simha confirmed that the toll price hike in the expressway was put on hold. The MP's statement came a day after a video of him justifying the hike in toll price was shared on his social media accounts on Friday.
ಮೈಸೂರು - ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಎಕ್ಸ್ಪ್ರೆಸ್ ವೇ ಟೋಲ್ ಬೆಲೆ ಹೆಚ್ಚಳವನ್ನು ತಡೆಹಿಡಿಯಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಎಲ್ಲರಿಗೂ ಧನ್ಯವಾದಗಳು. https://t.co/mujHAtcEh9
— Pratap Simha (@mepratap) April 1, 2023
NHAI officials had earlier stated that toll prices are revised annually taking inflation into account, and this hike is not exclusive to the Mysuru-Bengaluru expressway but is implemented on other roads as well.
However, social media was flooded with complaints from motorists who bemoaned the steep charges on the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway within two weeks of it being inaugurated.
The project, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12, aims to reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from three hours to approximately 75 minutes. The expressway was built at a cost of Rs 8,408 crore in two phases, with 52 kilometers being greenfield consisting of five bypasses that will reduce traffic congestion in neighboring towns.