Vehicle Owners Forced To Pay Double Toll For Paying In Cash; Rs 5 Lakh Earned/Day In Karnataka!

In Karnataka, vehicle owners are being forced to pay double toll charges, if they have FASTags, but paying in cash at poll plazas.

In fact, NHAI or The National Highways Authority of India is earning close to Rs 5 lakh per day, due to this.

Is this fair?

Vehicle Owners Paying Double Toll For Using Cash

In Karnataka, toll plazas are now forcing motorists to pay double toll, if they have FASTags, but still paying in cash.

Around 40% of all cars and bikes passing via Karnataka’s toll plazas still pay by cash, and but if they want to pass via FASTag lane and paying cash, they will need to pay double.

In case the vehicle owners have FASTags, but don’t have the minimum balance, then also they are being asked to pay double toll. 

In the toll plaza near to Bengaluru airport, passengers don’t argue and pay the double fees since they have a flight to catch.

But other passengers do argue, and debate, and this is causing inconvenience to all.

However, this trend is coming down, and daily 2-3% more motorists are getting the FASTags.

P. Somashekar, general manager and project director, NHAI said, “But FASTag users are gradually increasing. The number of cash lanes at toll plazas has reduced. On average, 60% of the vehicles passing through toll booths are making payments through FASTag. This increases by 2-3% every day,”

Is This Fair?

This double toll seems like a forceful decision, and motorists are arguing and questioning this move. 

Those who need to catch a flight cannot even argue, and waste time, and they pay the amount, but in other locations, issues are erupting.

A toll booth employees said to The Hindu: “As per the instructions, double the fee must be collected from such motorists. So if the toll rate is ?90, they have to pay ?180 for a single trip to Kempegowda International Airport,” 

Govt. has made FASTags free till February 29th, and they hope that more and more people will use them now.

We will keep you updated, as more details come in.