Hiked toll collection likely on Delhi-Meerut Expressway from April 1

According to the existing toll structure announced by the authority in December last year, the toll rates to travel on the entire expressway from Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan to Kashi toll plaza in Meerut are ₹140 for light vehicles such as jeeps and cars

Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) said they could start collecting toll on Delhi Meerut Expressway (DME) from April 1, and that there could be a hike in toll rates. The authority was supposed to start collecting toll from commuters on the 59.77km stretch of the DME from December 25 last year, but the plan was put on hold.

A view of Delhi-Meerut Expressway in Ghaziabad. (Sakib Ali/HT Photo)

Officials added they are calculating the hike in rate, which may be up to 20%.

“We are calculating the hike. It will be finalised in the next two days and sent for approval. We may start collecting toll from April 1,” said Arvind Kumar, project director, NHAI.

The DME, which was opened for the public in April last year, was formally inaugurated by Union minister Nitin Gadkari on December 23 last year.

According to the existing toll structure announced by the authority in December last year, the toll rates to travel on the entire expressway from Delhi’s Sarai Kale Khan to Kashi toll plaza in Meerut are ₹140 for light vehicles such as jeeps and cars.

The NHAI has already implemented automatic number plate readers (ANPRs) to record the registration plates of vehicles entering and exiting the expressway lanes. The ANPRs will help deduct the fare from the vehicles’ FASTag accounts.

According to NHAI, the annual toll collection potential on the expressway is estimated to be about ₹111.39 crore, with cars/jeeps/light motor vehicles accounting for about 82% of the traffic and bus/trucks accounting for 14%.

The 59.77km 14-lane DME comprises four phases — phase 1 links Sarai Kale Khan in Delhi and UP Gate in Ghaziabad, phase 2 connects UP Gate and Dasna in Ghaziabad, phase 3 connects Dasna to Hapur, while phase 4 is a six-lane 32-km access-controlled alignment between Dasna and Meerut.

According to official estimates, phase 1 caters to the movement of about 120,000 passenger car units (PCUs) per day, while phase 2 in Ghaziabad caters to the movement of about 60,000 PCUs per day. The PCU for phase 4 is estimated at about 40,000.