Road travel expenses to increase as toll fees surge by month-end
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Road travel expenses to increase as toll fees surge by month-end

Travelling to or from Chennai by road would become more expensive by the end of the month. This is because the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planned to increase user fees at four toll plazas on the outskirts of the city. The increase was said to range from 5 to 20 per trip.

Additionally, it was mentioned that the cost of travelling to Bengaluru and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu would see an increase of up to 150 from April 1 due to rate hikes at several toll plazas situated on major national highway routes throughout Tamil Nadu.

The adjustment in fees was said to come amid promises made by the DMK in the Lok Sabha election manifesto to eliminate all toll plazas if the INDIA bloc formed a government at the Centre.

The Union road transport ministry had reportedly made two key announcements regarding this issue. Firstly, toll charges would now be based on the distance a vehicle travelled, determined using GPS technology. Secondly, fees would be reduced by 40% at toll plazas where the initial capital investment had been fully recouped.

According to the ministry?s statement, NHAI Chennai Region was expected to lower fees first at the Parandur toll plaza in Chengalpet, as the capital costs for these sites, established in 2005, had long been recovered, as per S Yuvraj of the TN lorry owners association.

Yuvraj criticiSed NHAI, stating that despite collecting substantial revenues, only a small portion had been allocated to maintain highway stretches.

He highlighted the poor condition of the Sriperumbudur-Kancheepuram section of the Chennai-Bengaluru highway, which had been plagued by potholes and craters for several months. He noted that while the road should ideally have been expanded to eight lanes by now, only six-lane expansion efforts were currently underway.

Travelling to or from Chennai by road would become more expensive by the end of the month. This is because the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) planned to increase user fees at four toll plazas on the outskirts of the city. The increase was said to range from 5 to 20 per trip. Additionally, it was mentioned that the cost of travelling to Bengaluru and the southern districts of Tamil Nadu would see an increase of up to 150 from April 1 due to rate hikes at several toll plazas situated on major national highway routes throughout Tamil Nadu. The adjustment in fees was said to come amid promises made by the DMK in the Lok Sabha election manifesto to eliminate all toll plazas if the INDIA bloc formed a government at the Centre. The Union road transport ministry had reportedly made two key announcements regarding this issue. Firstly, toll charges would now be based on the distance a vehicle travelled, determined using GPS technology. Secondly, fees would be reduced by 40% at toll plazas where the initial capital investment had been fully recouped. According to the ministry?s statement, NHAI Chennai Region was expected to lower fees first at the Parandur toll plaza in Chengalpet, as the capital costs for these sites, established in 2005, had long been recovered, as per S Yuvraj of the TN lorry owners association. Yuvraj criticiSed NHAI, stating that despite collecting substantial revenues, only a small portion had been allocated to maintain highway stretches. He highlighted the poor condition of the Sriperumbudur-Kancheepuram section of the Chennai-Bengaluru highway, which had been plagued by potholes and craters for several months. He noted that while the road should ideally have been expanded to eight lanes by now, only six-lane expansion efforts were currently underway.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code