News: Delhi-Jaipur highway will be rid of toll plazas in first phase-25-03-2021
Delhi-Jaipur highway will be rid of toll plazas in first phase
GURUGRAM: Following the assurance given by the Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari to Lok Sabha about the removal of physical toll booths from the entire country in the next one year, officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Wednesday announced their plans to make the Delhi-Jaipur national highway (NH-8) toll plaza free in the first phase.
During a road safety meeting called by the district administration, the NHAI officials said that the department is preparing an action plan to make the Delhi-Jaipur highway free in the first phase. Also, no toll plaza will be set up on Dwarka Expressway. There was a proposal to build a toll booth on Dwarka Expressway. While the highway officials did not commit to the timeline and details of implanting the GPS-based toll collection, they said a study is underway.
“The headquarters is currently preparing a detailed project report implementing the same on the Delhi-Jaipur highway and Dwarka Expressway. This is still at a nascent stage and only when the report is prepared and subsequent directions are issued, we’ll be in a position to know the details of implementing this,” said a senior NHAI official.
An NHAI official said that if the current plan is implemented, then the proposal to relocate the Kherki Daula toll will become redundant. “We have received GMDA’s proposal and that is under consideration not only for its feasibility but also how it aligns with what Gadkari ji has announced regarding making Indian roads toll plaza-free. If that is to be implemented in a year’s time, then there’s no point of relocating the toll. The final decision is yet to be taken.”
NHAI also raised the issue of traffic congestion near the Kherki Daula toll plaza due to the ill-planned U-turns on both sides. The NHAI requested the administration to permanently close these turns. In response, Gurugram’s deputy commissioner Yash Garg directed the traffic police and NHAI officials to jointly inspect the area and submit a report. “On the basis of the report, action will be taken,” Garg assured.
