[mjothi]

Originally Posted by asdon

Thanks for clearing the Air Mahesh, now I have to find a different way via NH207 to reach Hosur

Ya. But I feel why should we?

Check the lane diagram again, and you can notice that the Toll just before is ONLY for the traffic from the bridge. But who will ask this guys? Probably media should bring it on!

[arindamray]

@mjothi: lane diagram shown shows only the toll gates for the elevated expressway, it does not show attibele toll plaza.

From the site itself -
User fee shall be collected from all vehicles except two wheelers, crossing the Attibele Plaza in either direction.
No toll is payable for use of ground level road between Km 8.765 and Attibele Toll Plaza if the plaza is not crossed.

And the toll is for Km 8.765 to Km 33.130 - I guess Silk Board to Attibele.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by arindamray

@mjothi: lane diagram shown shows only the toll gates for the elevated expressway, it does not show attibele toll plaza.

From the site itself -
User fee shall be collected from all vehicles except two wheelers, crossing the Attibele Plaza in either direction.
No toll is payable for use of ground level road between Km 8.765 and Attibele Toll Plaza if the plaza is not crossed.

And the toll is for Km 8.765 to Km 33.130 - I guess Silk Board to Attibele.

Thats my point. We pay for crossing and not for using the bridge. So, why?

I also wonder, if someone uses the round level all the way from the Bommanahalli, then why he also should pay the Toll?

[asdon]

Originally Posted by mjothi

Thats my point. We pay for crossing and not for using the bridge. So, why?

I also wonder, if someone uses the round level all the way from the Bommanahalli, then why he also should pay the Toll?

NHAI is a Govt institution, I think an RTI might help in this case..

[sbala]

Originally Posted by asdon

Guys, the toll collection is correct, here is the route
Electronic City to Attibele - Free
Attibele to Krishnagiri - collected at Attibele
Krishnagiri to Thoppur - Collected at Krishnagiri
Thoppur to Salem - Collected at Thoppur

Its rather like this...

Bangalore To Attibele (Border) - Collected at Attibele (Rs.20)

TN Border to Krishnagiri - Collected at Krishnagiri (Rs.25)

Krishnagiri to Thoppur - Collected at Thoppur (Rs.60)

Thoppur to Salem - Collected at Salem (Rs.47)

[vikram_d]

The toll at Attibele is basically collected to cover the six laning costs of Hosur Road (ground level) and construction of 3 new flyovers between Electronic City (Hebbagodi to be exact) and Attibele which has made the run from Bangalore to Hosur non-stop save for the tool booths.

BETL is mentioned on the toll receipts because BETL did the work and is in charge of toll collection. But I think this toll is finally going to the NHAI.

[rohan_iitr]

An accident happened this morning on the Elevated Expressway. It is rumored that a biker lost his life. Does anybody have the details ?

IMHO, 2-wheelers should not be allowed on the Elevated Expressway for their own safety.

Because of the jam on the expressway, I had to take the road below and hence reached the office late.

Rohan

[Fordmanchau]

Originally Posted by vikram_d

BETL is mentioned on the toll receipts because BETL did the work and is in charge of toll collection. But I think this toll is finally going to the NHAI.

Nah!! the toll is not going to NHAI. The toll is shared among the consortium of developers who built the project. After all these guys have to recover the cost of the project and show some profit on their books too.

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by rohan_iitr

An accident happened this morning on the Elevated Expressway. It is rumored that a biker lost his life. Does anybody have the details ?

IMHO, 2-wheelers should not be allowed on the Elevated Expressway for their own safety.

Because of the jam on the expressway, I had to take the road below and hence reached the office late.

Rohan

whoa! i didn't see any signs of an accident on the BETL. i used it somewhere between 11am and 11:30am today! was it before the EC1 exit or after that?

to an extent two wheelers are the blame for their riding styles - some rip, some ride slow on the high speed lane and others just stop and enjoy the view/ talk on cellphone (not in the lay-bye).

to make things worse, educated folks zip around in their cars like nobody's business! i've seen Corolla's, BMW's, Honda's (and others) dangerously overtaking on the left/in between lanes. i almost got plastered to the asphalt by one such educated idiot!

[IronH4WK]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

whoa! i didn't see any signs of an accident on the BETL. i used it somewhere between 11am and 11:30am today! was it before the EC1 exit or after that?

saw in TOI this morning. neurosurgeon was killed on the BETL yesterday morning at around 7:45am. it was a hit and run case. the SUV rammed into the doctor's bike and i think he died on the spot. unnecessary loss of like. may his soul rest in peace and that of the SUV driver rot in hell!

TOI report

[benbsb29]

I'm surprised they find it so difficult to indentify the offending vehicle, since there are cameras at entry and exit of the expressway. Shouldnt be so difficult, IMO.

[paragsachania]

Originally Posted by benbsb29

I'm surprised they find it so difficult to indentify the offending vehicle, since there are cameras at entry and exit of the expressway. Shouldnt be so difficult, IMO.

True and If I can recall, I have noticed cameras mounted on one/Two lamposts atop the expressway too which can come in to help identify.Afterall, one reason why they exist is for these trying situations and no point if they still cannot zero in on the offender.
By the way, Whether its TOI mentioning that 2 wheelers and buses to remain on slow lane, or even the BETL authority painting the road mentioning lanes for them, the state of affairs in reality never changes. Buses continue to remain in the fast lane, ,many stop and park to talk merrily, Traffic cops dangerously stop to fine speeding motorists.

[AstonMartin]

Originally Posted by IronH4WK

saw in TOI this morning. neurosurgeon was killed on the BETL yesterday morning at around 7:45am. it was a hit and run case. the SUV rammed into the doctor's bike and i think he died on the spot. unnecessary loss of like. may his soul rest in peace and that of the SUV driver rot in hell!

TOI report

I think it was not entirely the SUV driver's fault. There was a car parked on the high speed highway. The doctor hit the stationary car and fell on the road. The SUV which was coming in the same direction ran over the doctor. But yes, neither the SUV stopped nor the stupid idiot who was picnicking on the road [both left the scene as per witnesses].

[download2live]

The main problem is that the lanes are too narrow. Having had some close shaves myself now I stick to the Hosur road. A couple of months ago my wife colleague's Punto was forced to graze against the divider courtesy a Bus driver. You cannot allow high speeds on narrow lanes. 2 wheeler guys are at most risk.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by download2live

The main problem is that the lanes are too narrow.

Yesterday evening I drove the elevated tollway for the very first time. And I simply do not understand the comments about the lanes being too narrow. It is not narrow provided everybody follows lane discipline.

This tollway reminded me of Goethals Bridge, which connects New Jersey to New York. That bridge too has no shoulder, and forces the drivers to strictly stay on lane. This tollway is fashioned after a bridge rather than a highway. Highways have broad shoulders all along the way.

But Indian drivers are mostly oblivious to lane driving and therefore tend to move all over the road. While I was enjoying the rare occasion of hassle free driving, I did see a few cars driving fast and snaking between vehicles that were driving within speed limits.

Most countries have strict laws about speeding on bridges, for the accidents on bridges can be lot more dangerous and can cause traffic jams for miles. But who is going to educate the average Indian driver who can't differentiate between bridge and a highway?