[Aditya]

Thanks to Shyam for sending some more information and pictures in. Heartfelt gratitude for sharing it with other enthusiasts via this Team-BHP page!

Some recent pics of this "Toll road" and it has been the same since years. It's really difficult to believe someone would pay to use such a bad road.

Imagine driving in the night in heavy rains with no lane markings, no reflectors and no street lights. Additionally, there are a lot of small / large bridges on this stretch that have absolutely no guardrails.

An average of 35,000+ toll paying vehicles use the road per day. The system takes no accountability / responsibility for life and property.

[susheel_kainat]

It can be a StateHighway Toll like the one seen in Coimbatore outer ring road between Salem - Walayar or something like the NICE road in Bangalore. But if I recollect they dont mention NHAI in their tickets, since they dont come under National Highway. I would suggest to file a complaint or RTI to the Road ministry with these details. I'm sure they cannot discard it. Also try tweeting to Nitin Gadkari.

[LoneRidder]

I was on a road trip for the past 8 days from Bengaluru to Shravanabelagola, Belur, Halebidu, Chikmagalur, Kudremukh, Dharmasthala, Manipal, Udupi, Mangaluru, Kodagu, Mysore and back to Bengaluru. In the whole trip of around 1700kms, one of the worst roads that I came across was between Udupi and Mangaluru. I had to do 5 trips between Udipi and Mangaluru in two days. First day when I crossed this Surathkal toll, I was surprised to see the condition of toll booth itself. Even the approach road to toll booth was in dire condition. Fastag is accepted in all this tolls. As I and my wife got into a discussion on how locals could accept these types of roads, we also noticed that most of the local vehicles (KA19,20) were using the far left road without any payments. In the next toll plaza at Hejamady, we too decided to use the similar method. As we were crossing the toll a Hindi speaking attendant came to us and asked if we are local, for which I promptly said andu (yes in Tulu). I used this tick for my subsequent travel for next two days. Though I strictly did't like doing this, the roads were so bad even the good in me became bad! The operator also has strategically placed non-local attendants in these tolls to avoid any confrontations with locals.

Crossing Kulur Bridge near New Port took over half hour (2 km) every time. Even roads inside Mangaluru is in utter bad condition. Except for cement roads, most of the roads inside Mangaluru is bad shape. Pumpwell flyover will soon get into Guinness books for the slowest built flyover ever .

[hrk997]

There's a similar toll gate in Chennai ORR. I'm not sure exactly where, but i recall that while traveling with my friends, they went straight through it without paying, and when i was alarmed and asked about consequences, they told me that the local MLA owned it, and nothing would happen if someone didn't pay, and the locals in that area were aware of this and never bothered paying.

[ts1506]

In the meantime, there’s a new scam by toll booths.

My fastag was flagged by a toll booth between Hyderabad and Bangalore, saying that I am impersonating a wrong car class.

Axis Bank deducted extra money based on the complaint and also blacklisted my fastag. Now I have to run behind them with RC, car photos and so on to get it corrected.

The toll plaza in question is Marur Toll Plaza. Apparently my EcoSport (VC4 class) is a Heavy Construction Machinery (VC17 class)

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by ts1506

In the meantime, there’s a new scam by toll booths.

My fastag was flagged by a toll booth between Hyderabad and Bangalore, saying that I am impersonating a wrong car class.

Axis Bank deducted extra money based on the complaint and also blacklisted my fastag. Now I have to run behind them with RC, car photos and so on to get it corrected.

The toll plaza in question is Marur Toll Plaza. Apparently my EcoSport (VC4 class) is a Heavy Construction Machinery (VC17 class)

Is it possible that just like the cases where the traffic police sends you a wrong challan due to an error in reading the number plate, its the same happening here? And the toll operator has flagged your details by mistake? How is the toll booth going to profit here?

[speedmiester]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Is it possible that just like the cases where the traffic police sends you a wrong challan due to an error in reading the number plate, its the same happening here? And the toll operator has flagged your details by mistake? How is the toll booth going to profit here?

The toll booth will receive higher tolls for a smaller class of vehicle. Obviously a money making racket.

[ts1506]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Is it possible that just like the cases where the traffic police sends you a wrong challan due to an error in reading the number plate, its the same happening here? And the toll operator has flagged your details by mistake? How is the toll booth going to profit here?

The toll for VC17 class is 3 to 4x higher.

It could be a wrong entry, sure, but the process to dispute the claim is ridiculously complex.

The claim raised by the booth contains my wallet ID, my registration number, time of visit. Too much details to be purely coincidental/accidental.

The onus to prove who is right here, is fully on the car owner. Otherwise I am going to be on the line to pay the extra toll for the lifetime visits on the tag.

[drmohitg]

Originally Posted by ts1506

The toll for VC17 class is 3 to 4x higher.

It could be a wrong entry, sure, but the process to dispute the claim is ridiculously complex.

The onus to prove who is right here, is fully on the car owner. Otherwise I am going to be on the line to pay the extra toll for the lifetime visits on the tag.

Damn. This sure sounds horrible. And with the upcoming deadline for all vehicles to support Fast-tag from December 2019, the authorities need to figure a way around this.

Would be really good for the forum here if you can share the whole process of getting this rectified as this may affect many other users too.

[ts1506]

Originally Posted by drmohitg

Would be really good for the forum here if you can share the whole process of getting this rectified as this may affect many other users too.

Axis Bank sent me a mail intimation with the violation details, wallet details, details about manual deduction for the violation. This mail came around 3 days after I actually passed through the toll booth.

The deadline to furnish documents to prove yourself is 2 days from receipt of the mail.

I was asked to furnish original RC front+back and vehicle photos from all 4 sides. This is for filing a chargeback request. The documents will be audited by your tag’s bank (mine is Axis). This will be presented to NHAI to get the refund, and presumably lead to the tag becoming active again.

I have submitted the documents, still waiting to hear back from Axis regarding the further process. It sure is a headache, considering I pass through a toll road on my way to office every day.

[Shamegz]

The image shows the current Toll locations on NH66 in Mangalore area.
There are 4 Toll plaza in a 92KM stretch of highway.
Surathkal and Thalpady toll booths is missing in NHAI Toll information system.

Distance between toll plazas in NH66
Sasthan Toll Plaza to Hejamadi Toll Gate: 46.7KM
Hejamadi Toll Gate to Surathkal Toll Plaza: 11.2 KM
Surathkal Toll Plaza to Talapady Toll Plaza: 31.9KM
Surathkal Toll Plaza to Bantwal Toll Plaza: 35.2KM

[saratjyo]

Originally Posted by hrk997

There's a similar toll gate in Chennai ORR. I'm not sure exactly where, but i recall that while traveling with my friends, they went straight through it without paying, and when i was alarmed and asked about consequences, they told me that the local MLA owned it, and nothing would happen if someone didn't pay, and the locals in that area were aware of this and never bothered paying.

I think you are confusing with the road name here. I used to travel via Chennai ORR frequently which is 10km from my home. The toll booths are currently under construction and I haven't seen anyone collecting fee or paid for using this road as of now.

[hrk997]

Originally Posted by saratjyo

I think you are confusing with the road name here. I used to travel via Chennai ORR frequently which is 10km from my home. The toll booths are currently under construction and I haven't seen anyone collecting fee or paid for using this road as of now.

Probably somewhere near that road then, the one near SRMC

[recshenoy]

The toll (or should I call it TROLL) has been extended by another year according to below article. Irony is President , VP , PM , CM , State Party President who is also Mangalore MP , 7 out of 8 MLA in the region surrounding toll gate are from single party. Icing on the cake is 10 days back same party swept the Municipal elections. Still no one blinks an eye about this "monument". When my friends travel from Udupi which is 60 Kms from Mangalore have to pay a 2 toll of 55 + 85 = 140 rupees as toll charge. This road is 85 rupees toll and the 55 rupee toll road is far better than this


https://www.daijiworld.com/news/news...?newsID=647648

Riddi Siddhi associates has now taken the contract with a targeted collection figure of Rs 10.3 lac per day. The officials do not know whether the clause of contract includes collection of toll from local vehicles. As if the authorities will levy this charge even local vehicles, the gate where the passage of vehicles was free till now, has now been fixed with Fastag equipment.

During the renewal of the previous contract, protests had been held for 12 days. Local MLAs and MPs had requested the center to close this tollgate. National Highways Authority of India has however, renewed the contract for the toll gate by another year.

After rain stopped, no one bothered to repair the road and suddenly honorable Vice President of India graced the convocation at NITK engineering college (near to toll gate). The roads were repaired amidst heavy rain. They formed group of 3 contractors to make sure that all the roads are "fixed" in 3-4 days’ time as per order from DC. I hope he visits convocation every year so that roads are fixed, after all the common man of this country is there to pay taxes and tolls and not privileged enough to get a decent road.

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsD...?newsID=639193

PWD executive engineer Yashwant, said that the work would be got done in coordination with the officials of National Highways Authority officials. He said that the stretch of the road from NITK to circuit house at Kadri has been divided into three parts, which are being repaired by three different agencies.

See the repair done. Picture courtesy : https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater


At some places only one lane was repaired, after all the vehicle in which Honorable Vice President was travelling needed only one lane. Why should they care about daily commuters who have developed spondylitis due to this road.

On the same toll way we have a bridge built 60+ year ago. Some months back there was talk about bridge being unsafe for usage and needed an immediate closure. Alas! unfortunately in my country things are reactive but not proactive. Couple of days it was in news and after that business as usual and every one forgot. God forbid it collapses, there will be huge chaos because it carries all the coastal line traffic to Kerala from Karnataka/Maharashtra etc.

https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities...le26706098.ece

The arch bridge constructed in 1952 has outlived its existence, NHAI had told the administration in a series of letters. Consultants hired by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to examine the bridge’s stability have said that various components of the bridge have either become weak or corroded thereby rendering it unsafe.

Last but not least, "it happens only in India". 3 bus stands at one place reflecting lack of planning , co-ordination and willingness in a district which is popularly known as "District of wise people".

PS: And not to forget 3 lane one way flyovers for one side AND for the other side everything including service road, going to city, going out of city , going on highway , mini bus stand in 2 lane road

[am1m]

Originally Posted by recshenoy

At some places only one lane was repaired, after all the vehicle in which Honorable Vice President was travelling needed only one lane. Why should they care about daily commuters who have developed spondylitis due to this road.

Haha, same thing happened in Bangalore a couple of years ago. The President was flying in to the HAL (Old) Airport and suddenly, overnight they repaired just the side of the road the convoy was going to use!

The rest of the road could remain in horrible shape for the thousands of ordinary citizens who use it everyday and pay for it through taxes!