Commuters see red as Delhi-Gurgaon expressway flouts HC line

September 9, 2013

Deevakar Anand and Leena Dhankhar, Hindustan Times Gurgaon ,

As per a Punjab and Haryana high court order of September last, it is mandatory to raise the boom barriers at Sirhaul toll plaza on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway once the traffic pile-up there goes beyond 400 metres.

To ensure this, the 400-metre mark has been painted red on the road on each side of the Sirhaul toll plaza.

This is one of several experiments initiated last year after the traffic situation went out of hands at the toll plaza.

Other experiments included making the toll plaza free for 15 days and creating extra toll booths in the form of split tolls.

But, despite everything, the traffic bottlenecks at the toll plaza still continue to agonise commuters.

While the 15-day free period has long been over and the split tolls are working — these have proved to be somewhat of a damp squib — motorists often complain that despite court orders the boom barriers are not raised when the pile-up gets as long as 400 metres, an allegation denied by the toll operator and expressway concessionaire Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity Limited (DGSCL).

“I have no clue if they ever raise the toll boom barriers as I have been stuck in queues which have extended the 400-metre mark,” said Karuna Singh, a regular commuter on the expressway, which is a part of National Highway-8.

A spokesperson of the Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity Limited, however, said that the red line is very much there and whenever it is breached, the traffic police ensure that the boom barriers are raised and commuters get a free passage across the toll plaza.

“Our personnel are always on alert, especially during the peak morning and evening hours and they raise the boom barriers when the pile-up touches the red mark,” said Bharti Arora, deputy commissioner of police, traffic, Gurgaon.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court, in its order last year, had mandated the Gurgaon traffic cops stationed at the toll plaza to open the boom barriers if the congestion breached the 400-metre red mark.

“That doesn’t absolve the operator from its responsibility of ensuring a free passage when required,” said Amberdeep Singh, another regular commuter on the expressway.

Commuter speak

Toll staff inconsistent in lifting boom barriers: Sanjay Gupta, west Delhi resident
I have to drive down to Gurgaon from my west Delhi residence 2-3 times a week. It takes me about 45 minutes to reach Sirhaul toll plaza on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway. However, quite a few times, it took me 30 to 40 minutes to cross the toll plaza, especially during the morning peak hours.

In the mornings, the traffic congestion is on the Delhi side and during the evening it is on the Gurgaon side, and you can witness the situation going out of control. You can’t do anything but helplessly wait for your ordeal to get over. The pile-ups, like on last Thursday, stretch for more than a kilometre.

I got stuck on the Rajokri flyover and had to drive continuously for about 40 minutes to be able to cross the toll. Since I use a smart tag to pay the toll, I couldn’t figure out if the expressway operator had raised the boom barriers as required once the traffic pile-up crosses the 400-metre mark.

There are two points I want to highlight here.

First, nobody knows who is responsible for implementing the court order of opening the toll barriers in case the pile-up crosses the 400-metre mark. The motorists who wait in the long queues cannot figure that out and they just want to come out of the hell somehow.

Second, it’s not just about the extra time that one loses waiting at the toll but the unpredictability of the jams makes it even more agonising.

One never knows what traffic situation he/she is going to face on reaching the toll plaza. I thank my stars sometimes when I get through the toll plaza within five minutes, but this never happens during the morning and evening rush hours.

E-way official version

DGSCL spokesperson
“In order to improve the traffic flow at the Sirhaul toll plaza, the Honb’le Punjab & Haryana high court had directed that a red line be drawn on the ground at a distance of 400 metres from the toll gates on either side.

Whenever the traffic was congested and exceeded the red line, the traffic police was directed to lift the boom barriers to ease the flow. We have followed the directives of the high court and the red line was painted on the ground in September.

Cameras have also been installed at that point so that the control room can see whenever the red line is breached and we open the boom barriers accordingly.

The Gurgaon traffic police are also present at the toll plaza and near the red lines. Whenever the length of stationary traffic exceeds the red line, they lift the boom barriers to ensure that the traffic flow is eased.”

Surce_http://www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under ITS, Toll Management System, Toll Plaza, Tolling

Overlooking local traffic one of the main causes of expressway mess

September 9, 2013

Siddhartha Rai , Hindustan Times Gurgaon,

It is now a known fact that the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and the associated phenomena — jams, holdups, broken service roads and unending queues at the two toll plazas — have made life difficult for commuters, but the devil, as the saying goes, is in the details.

Absence of pedestrian walkways, near absence of cross-over facilities like foot-overbridges and underpasses, and messy and uncoordinated intersections are some of the design flaws that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), in its defence against catechism from the Parliament and the CAG, said it did not anticipate while planning the expressway.

”Either the expressway, meant to fly past Delhi and Gurgaon to Jaipur, should not have been used by the local traffic of Gurgaon, or the NHAI should have planned the expressway keeping in mind the needs of Gurgaon traffic as well,” said Rohit Baluja, president of Institute of Road Traffic Education and director of College of Traffic Management, Faridabad.

Baluja says that the Gurgaon traffic has created a muddle for the expressway.

“The Gurgaon authorities did not coordinate with the NHAI. They saw that development along the highway was easy and profitable, and did not develop their internal traffic mechanism, putting the entire pressure on the highway.

“There was lack of planning from the beginning. The volume of traffic was 10 times the figure estimated on the very first day of operations. The authorities, clearly, did not take into account population growth, rise in number of vehicles, the expected rate of industrial growth in new Gurgaon, and migration from Delhi,” said urban planning expert Sarika Panda Bhat.

Bhat also suggests constructing a bypass to avoid the traffic muddle created due to the expressway and the toll plazas.

After Seoul removed the Cheonggyecheon highway, the average price for apartments in the area rose by almost 25% as compared to only 10% in the neighborhoods farther away. Rents for commercial office spaces rose, too. Who knows the case might be the same for Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway.

Source-http://www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Toll Plaza, Traffic Control, Traffic Management, Traffic Signals

Gurgaon: toll plazas violate NHAI guidelines

September 9, 2013

HT Correspondent, Hindustan Times Gurgaon,

The Gurgaon councillors have alleged that the two plazas on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, located within the municipal limits, violate the NHAI’s guidelines.

“The two toll plazas should be shifted to some other place — beyond the Gurgaon municipal limits. We will launch agitation against the Union and the state governments,” said a local councillor. Councillor RR Rathee told Hindustan Times that the two tolls on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway and the one on the Gurgaon-Faridabad highway were a big mockery of the NHAI guidelines.

“It seems the governments connived with the concessionaire by allowing it to put up toll plazas,” Rathee said.

It is worth noticing that the notification of the department of road transport and highways, dated December 5, 2008, clearly states that the executing authority or the concessionaire should establish toll plazas at least 10-km from the municipal limit.

“How did these toll plazas came up on the expressway within the Gurgaon municipal limit despite the clearly laid guidelines? The Haryana government should have considered this aspect and lodged protest while the concessionaire had entered into the agreement with the NHAI,” said another councillor.

The Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti, a body consisting of local residents and leaders, has already raised this issue in the Delhi High Court.

“We are hopeful that the court will take this aspect into account and bring relief to lakhs of Gurgaon residents. We are leaving no stone unturned to do away with this menace,” said Pushpa Joshi, a social activist.

The Delhi High Court will hear the case on September 20.

Meanwhile, the 35 councillors of Gurgaon are also planning to give a representation to the Union and state governments.

Source-http://www.hindustantimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under NHAI, Toll Plaza

Get ready to pay toll tax on three state highways

August 19, 2013

TNN |

LUCKNOW: Get ready to pay toll tax on at least three state highways (SHs) in east UP with the state public works department (PWD) all set to hand over these state highways to private concessionaires for their development and maintenance.

The three stretches, mainly in east UP, which have been selected for development by the private sector include Farenda-Jarwal in Gonda (SH-1A), Basti-Mehndawal-Kaptanganj-Tumkuli in Kushinagar (SH-64) and Gorakhpur-Maharajganj (SH-81). The stretches totaling around 200 Kms have been identified for they being the high traffic density stretches. PWD sources said that one stretch in west UP — Muzzaffarnagar-Saharanpur – too is proposed to be broadened with private participation.

Principal secretary, PWD, Rajneesh Dubey said that as per the condition laid down the stretches will be four laned and will have paved shoulders (an extra lane for vehicles to stop).

“The state government will soon start the process of development of these stretches on a public-private-partnership (PPP) model. The state government, in all, has proposed to take up broadening of 1300 Kms of state highways in the state. The other 1,100 state highways will be taken up with the help of state funds.

Dubey said that the state government will be providing funds for development of other state highways. For example, Mau-Ballia state highways is proposed to be four lane using state funds. So will be the case with Bareilly-Badaun which will be broadened by two lanes with the help of state funds.

The state has 83 state highways stretching over a length of over 7500 Kms. Of this more than 1300 Kms are only seven meters broad, that is they are two lane. Dubey said that the state government has already sanctioned funds for broadening of around 670 Kms of state highways. ‘”Work on the said stretches are already under construction and are proposed to be completed in the next few years,” he said. More over, Dubey said, the state government will also begin the work on construction of inter state highways that will connect UP with Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

Construction of roads have been taken up on a priority basis by the UP government considering the fast approaching Lok Sabha elections. Sources said that construction wing of the PWD has been asked to prepare the detailed project reports of all state highways which are proposed to be widened in the next few years. At the same time some of the state highways are gradually proposed to be handed over to the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

State highways which are proposed to be developed on a public-private-partnership basis

Source-http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Highway, NHAI, Toll Plaza, Tolling

9,400 free passes issued in six months at Pimpalgaon toll plaza

June 5, 2013

NASHIK: The number of motorists who have taken a free pass through the Pimpalgaon toll plaza (around 30 km from Nashik city) on the widened 60-km stretch on the Mumbai-Agra national highway, has gone beyond 9,400 over the past six months.

The Pimpalgaon-Nashik-Gonde (PNG) Tollways, responsible for widening the highway, had expected only about 4,000 vehicles to take free rides through the toll plaza.

Officials of PNG Tollways said they have already issued 9,400 free passes and still counting. the process was still underway

They said that Pimplagaon was probably the only toll plaza in the state, or even the entire country, where such a large number of people had availed of the free passes.

The motorists who have availed free passes include owners of cars and light commercial vehicles like pick-up vans and other vehicles used for transporting agri produce. Meanwhile, the number of vehicles that have availed of the concessional passes is only 600.

The PNG Tollways, which undertook the work of road widening of the Pimpalgaon-Gonde stretch in October 2010, tried to start the toll-collection process in October 2012, on completion of 75% of the work. However, the political leaders and farmers of the Pimpalgaon area stalled the collection on various occasions, bringing up new issues every single time.

Initially, the agitators demanded full completion of the road work before the commencement of toll collection, followed by a claim for complete waiver of toll fee for residents within 20 km of the toll plaza. The agitators then demanded complete waiver for all taxis and vehicles of the state carrying agriculture produce.

Taking into account the frequent objections to the toll collections, the construction company cancelled the Rs 200 fee for motorists residing within the radius of 20 km of the toll plaza, followed by slashing of 75% of the fees for taxis and 50% for trucks registered within 20 km radius of the toll plaza.

However, the political leaders and other activists yet again stalled the toll collection on January 9. On the same day, the PNG lodged complaints against 200 agitators even as it gave in to their demands and once again stalled the process of toll collection.

Subsequently, in a meeting called by district guardian minister Chhagan Bhujbal, it was decided that the toll company would commence its operations, while the responsibility of providing security would rest with the district administration.

The toll collection thus resumed on January 22, in the midst of a thick bandobast provided by the rural police initially. Meanwhile, since the work of the flyover in Nashik is also over and will be thrown open to traffic anytime now, the PNG is likely to increase the toll fees by 60%. The staff, however, fears another agitation in the offing with the rise in the toll prices.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under BOT, Miscellaneous, Toll Plaza

Prepaid card to save motorists from being fleeced at toll plazas

April 17, 2013

MUMBAI: India’s first national highway electronic toll collection (ETC) system was launched in Thane Friday. With this India joined the ranks of the US, Western Europe, Singapore and Australia that have implemented this sophisticated form of technology. The new system will curb overcharging by unscrupulous toll plaza attendants apart from helping motorists avoid long queues or fumble for change. It was recommended by an expert committee headed byNandan Nilekani to ease traffic flow and introduce transparency in toll collection.

Union minister for road transport and highways, Dr C P Joshi, launched the first inter-operable, electronic toll collection system based on radio frequency identification (RFID) technology at the toll plazas of Mumbai-Vadodara section. The launch function was held at village Tawa near Dahanu in Thane district. The RFID tag is a prepaid tag which is affixed in the upper portion of the vehicle’s windscreen. It works as a prepaid toll account and facilitates automatic toll deduction when the vehicle crosses a toll plaza. The unique number of the tag is scanned by the ‘readers’ that are fitted in the dedicated ETC lanes of the toll plazas.

This reading is sent to the central clearing house and the motorist receives an instant text message alert and an email update. The clearing house pools the money and later distributes among toll plaza management as per vehicle usage. This new facility is available at the toll plazas of Charoti, Bhagwada, Boriach, Choriyasi, Narmada Bridge, Karjan and Vadodara. It will be extended to the Vadodara-Ahmedabad section of the national highway and Mumbai-Pune as well. RFID tags can be purchased at designated kiosks located near toll plazas. They can also be bought online and recharged similarly.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Mumbai, Toll Plaza

DND flyway drive gets dearer as Noida Toll Bridge Company hikes toll rates

April 9, 2013

DND flyway drive gets dearer as Noida Toll Bridge Company hikes toll rates

Toll rates for the DND (Delhi-Noida Direct) flyway were hiked from today by the Noida Toll Bridge Company Limited (NTBCL).”Two wheelers toll rates have been increased from Rs 11 to Rs 12, for cars from Rs 22 to Rs 25, LCVs from Rs 45 to Rs 55, bus and truck will now shell out Rs 70 from earlier Rs 55. Large vehicles will pay Rs 100 from existing Rs 75 and extra large vehicles from Rs 95 to Rs 135. The hiked rates are effective from today,” said Anwar Abbasi, spokesperson, NTBCL.

However, the commuters are disappointed with the increase four months after withdrawing the toll hike.”Today I paid Rs 25 as toll tax for my car instead of Rs 22. It will put an additional expense of Rs 180 every month,” said Neeraj Sharma, a resident of Noida who uses DND Flyway to go to his work place at Defence Colony in Delhi.

Source-http://www.financialexpress.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Delhi, ITS, Toll Plaza

PBA Infra bags EPC contract from Solapur Tollways

March 11, 2013

Lalitha Rao ,Monday, March 11, 2013

PBA Infrastructure Ltd has been awarded the EPC contract for four laning the Solapur-Gulbarga, Maharashtra- Karnataka border section of National Highway 9, from Solapur Tollways Pvt Ltd, a joint venture of Coastal-Srei Consortium. The contract worth 780 crore is being executed as BOT (Toll) on DBFOT pattern under National Highways Development Project Phase-III. NHAI had appointed Artefact Projects Ltd as project consultant.

The Cabinet Committee of Infrastructure approved the project in November 2011 at a total estimated cost of992 crore including land acquisition, rehabilitation and pre-construction activities. The concession period including construction period of the project is 25 years. The project starting from km 249.00 to km 348.80 would cover the districts of Pune, Solapur and Osmanabad in Maharashtra.

Speaking to Projectmonitor, S.K. Bothra, President, PBA Infrastructure Ltd, said, “We are mobilsing fund through five banks with Canara Bank as the leading Bank. We are planning to start the work by April 15.”

While talking on the land details he said that about 80 per cent of the land has been possessed and the remaining stretch would be acquired soon. The four laning of the 100-km long stretch is expected to be completed in 36 months, he said.

Srei Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, the first beneficiary of the project, under consortium arrangements with various companies has a diversified portfolio of annuity and toll-based road projects close to 5,500 km with a total capital cost of around 13,000 crore, awarded by the NHAI under NHDP, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and various other State Governments.

In its 2011-2012 Annual report, the company stated that during the year under review, the Company as co-developer has successfully completed the construction of Thrissur-Angamali Road Project in Kerala on NH-47 under NHAI and Jaora Nayagaon Road Project in Madhya Pradesh on SH-31 under Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation. Meanwhile, the company also started the six-laning of Chandikhole Jagatpur Bhubaneswar project in Odisha on NH-5 under NHAI. Other than the Solapur- Maharashtra Karnataka Border project on NH-9 the company also won the Bikaner-Suratgarh project on NH-15 from Public Works Department of Rajasthan on build- operate transfer basis.

Source-http://www.projectsmonitor.com

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under NHAI, Projects, Toll Plaza

Complain-Against RVTL Toll Plaza Jamnagar Vadinagar

December 29, 2012

From: Anil Kumar
Subject: Toll plaza pass

Message Body:
This is with reference to toll plaza Jamnagar Vadinar RVTL section near Bedgaon. I am staying in township near the toll plaza (2 Kms from Toll plaza) and frequently required to go to Jamnagar city for various reasons like Medical treatment, schooling, etc.
We have issued the free passes but need to renew the pass every month, if we are late these people are charging the toll fee to us.
We are normally passing through toll plaza in the morning at 7:30 am or in the evening around 7 to 8 pm, we are unable to match out timings with toll plaza office timing for renewal of pass. Sunday also it is closed. When I discussed this issue with L&T official he was arguing only like he is doing a great favor to us. He is not trying to understand the difficulties we are facing. I was very unhappy the way toll plaza providing the services to us,
Hope you may do something to improve the service.

Written by ITW Editor · Filed Under Complain, Toll Plaza

Defenseless toll plazas at the mercy of rough customers

September 27, 2011

They handle many thousands of vehicles and lakhs of rupees every day. But rather than being secure gateways that deter criminals fleeing down highways, toll plazas around the city have shown themselves to be quite helpless in the face of crime over the last few days. A gatekeeper’s murder at the Kherki Daula toll plaza in the early hours of Friday, and a robbery at the Dasna toll plaza the same night have raised questions about security arrangements at not only the turnpikes around the capital but also the highways.

TOI did a spot check of five key toll plazas on Monday and found gaping holes in their arrangements, from inadequate manpower to defunct cameras. Keeping the NCR’s gun culture in mind the plazas’ guards, armed with nothing more than old shotguns, live in dread of troublemakers. “We are completely on our own, so anybody can refuse to pay toll,” an employee at the Delhi-Gurgaon toll plaza said.

Delhi-Gurgaon border

At the KM-24 toll plaza, vehicles from 11 neighbouring villages are allowed free passage, provided their drivers show proof of address. However, many drivers try to muscle their way through on this pretext without showing any document. “Drunken drivers are common here, and some even pull a gun on us if we demand the toll. The three armed guards we have are seldom around. There’s nothing that we can do

in self-defence as the management is unwilling to support us,” a toll employee said on the condition of anonymity. The plaza has 32 dome cameras in side booths and 36 still cameras equipped with night vision in lanes outside the booth, said officials. “PCR vans are present ometimes, but our own patrol vehicles keep circulating through the route,” said Manoj Aggarwal, CEO of DCS, the agency in charge of the toll plaza.

Kherki-Daula

Four days after a toll collector was shot dead by a vehicle owner here, there has been no improvement in security at the toll plaza, said employees. “The staff at the plaza has steadily decreased over time, and the management does not bother to hire again. Sometimes, we have only one line assistant at night whereas we started with around 63. There are supposed to be at least eight on duty at a time,” said an employee.

The 18-lane plaza has 16 dome camera booths, 16 cameras mounted on the canopy and 16 more still cameras with night-vision ability in the lanes outside the booths, said officials.The booth staff is not allowed to carry cellophanes and has to rely on the intercom and a panic button to report any emergency.

A fortnight ago, an employee was allegedly hit by a car when he tried flagging it down for going through the bike lane. “The car went over his foot and carried him along for 100 metres until it hit an auto and he slid off the bonnet. We are scared of doing our duty, fearing for our lives,” said an employee.

Badarpur

Three gunmen, six line assistants and six security guards should be present for every 10 lanes of this 32-booth plaza. However, TOI found a lone gunman on the Delhi side, and none on the Faridabad side. “No gunman has been posted on the Faridabad side for six months,” said an employee. The two line assistants on duty said their walkie-talkies had poor range. “We keep losing the signal,” said one. However, S Raghuraman, project manager, said, “We have panic alarms and intercoms inside the booths so that employees can get in touch with the control room when necessary”.

DND

Security at this toll plaza is slightly better, but the guards complain their 12- bore shotguns are no match for criminals’ sophisticated arms. “We have to reload manually after every shot,” said a guard. DND PRO Niranjani Paharia said, “Since we want toll collectors to have minimum communication with vehicle owners, doors and windows are kept closed at all times with only a space to collect money and give the receipt. The panic button is placed at the feet (of the operators).We also keep having mock drills”.

Dasna

Broken barriers, rundown booths and dysfunctional CCTV cameras mark this toll plaza on NH-24. The barrier arms have remained broken for months, so employees have to manually flag down cars. Many vehicles refuse to stop. “We suffer a loss of around Rs 2 lakh daily. Many of those who stop at the toll plaza claim they are locals, and should not be asked to pay. After the armed robbery, the police have agreed to post two armed officers with a bike at the plaza at night,” said ND Shukla, manager. TOI found the entire staff without safety jackets. Not only were some of the cameras broken, the CCTV feed sometimes did not stream from the server. The booths were without intercom and panic buttons.