NHAI to hold special camps for Dwarka e-way monthly toll passes

Residents faced long waits on Monday as many lacked required documents; NHAI expects traffic on Dwarka expressway to normalise in 7–10 days.

Following heavy congestion at the Bijwasan toll plaza on Sunday, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) on Monday announced that it will hold special camps across residential sectors in Gurugram to facilitate the issuance and activation of monthly passes for local commuters using the Dwarka expressway.

The highway body said 1,500 passes were issued on Monday; three lanes near Bijwasan toll are toll-free for three days to help local residents get passes. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Officials said that the highway authority has deployed additional staff and set up booths at the Bijwasan toll plaza to expedite the process. “Around 1,500 monthly passes were issued on Monday, and we are expecting the numbers to multiply in coming weeks. We have increased the traffic marshals and staff at the toll plaza for smooth movement of traffic. Three lanes on both sides of the plaza have been made toll-free for local vehicles for three days during which people can get their passes activated,” a senior NHAI official said.

The official added that the highway authority is coordinating with the Gurugram district administration to identify suitable locations in sectors along the Dwarka expressway where camps will be held over the next four to five days. “A monthly pass of ₹340 will allow a vehicle owner to make unlimited trips on the expressway for a month. The pass can be recharged online subsequently, so people won’t need to come to the toll plaza again,” the official cited above said, requesting anonymity.

Prakhar Sahai, office bearer of the Dwarka Expressway Gurugram Development Association, said that the association will work with NHAI to organise special camps in residential areas along the expressway. “We have held discussions with NHAI and it has been decided to hold the first such camp at Imperial Garden society in Sector 102. Four to five teams will be formed, and we will hold these camps in collaboration with NHAI. Only the registration certificate of the car is likely to be required for getting the monthly pass,” he said.

The NHAI also said that people living within 20 kilometres of either the Bijwasan or Kherki Daula toll plazas are eligible to apply for the monthly passes. Three lanes on both sides of the Bijwasan toll plaza have been freed for local traffic for three days, officials confirmed.

The decision came after severe congestion and long queues were reported on Sunday morning when toll operations began. Several RFID readers malfunctioned, disrupting traffic flow and preventing commuters from activating their passes. Many residents returned without obtaining passes, prompting NHAI to establish a permanent camp with five booths at the toll plaza.

Residents and commuters said they faced long delays on Monday as well. “We had to stand for more than an hour to get these passes, and many people faced difficulties because they did not carry the required documents,” a commuter said.

NHAI officials said that traffic flow is expected to normalise in the next 7–10 days. “After the toll became operational, traffic reduced on Dwarka expressway with several commuters moving to the Delhi–Gurgaon expressway, Bijwasan road and Upper Dwarka expressway to avoid jams. Traffic has increased at Sirhaul border as well, but once e-passes are made, people will be back on the expressway,” the official said.