NHAI starts process of deciding toll charges at Delhi-Meerut Expressway

Ghaziabad:

Ghaziabad:

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The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started the process of ascertaining toll charges on the Delhi-Meerut Expressway (DME), which is planned to be completed by the end of December.

NHAI officials said they have sent a proposal to their headquarters according to which the per kilometre cost for plying on expressway lanes will be about Rs 2. They have also proposed to bar the entry of bikes and autos on the expressway lanes.

Work on the two under-construction stretches of the DME project -- 19.8km phase 2 from UP Gate to Dasna and 32km phase 4 from Dasna to Meerut -- is scheduled to be completed by end of December.

Phase 1 from Akshardham in Delhi to UP Gate is already operational.

“We have sent a proposal to our headquarters and proposed the rate at about Rs 2 per kilometre. It includes Rs 1.65 as basic rate. Other costs are based on price index and cost of structures. So, it will be about Rs 2 per kilometre. The rates will be determined on per kilometre of distance travelled and will be paid at the exit points,” said Mudit Garg, project director of NHAI.

Apart from phase 2 and 4, DME also comprises 8.7km of phase 1, which spans from Akshardham in Delhi to UP Gate. The entry/exit points are located at Akshardham, Indirapuram, near Dasna, eastern peripheral expressway, near Bhojpur and near Partapur in Meerut.

Once approved, the rates will come into effect after the project starts operation.

The officials had earlier sent a proposal for the installation of automatic registration-plate readers (ANPR) at entry/exit points and the plan has already been approved.

The ANPRs will read the registration plate of vehicles at entry and exit points and will calculate the distance travelled. The fare will be automatically detected at the exit point from the online wallet of the commuter.

The project comprises three inner lanes each side as dedicated expressway lanes and four lanes each on both sides as highway lanes.

“We had earlier sent a proposal for limiting the speed on expressway to 120kmph but there were certain issues with regard to high speed, which could result in accidents. So, during the trial period, the vehicles will maintain a speed limit of 70kmph in Delhi, 100kmph under phase 2 in Ghaziabad and 120kmph under phase 4 between Dasna and Meerut. No autos or bikes will be allowed on expressway lanes,” Garg, said.

The officials said vehicles such as cars, jeeps and commercial vehicles will be allowed on expressway lanes while autos have been advised to ply only on services lanes and not on highway lanes to avoid traffic congestion.