Vehicle entry fee collection at tourist destinations: Illegal or not?

They were not in uniform, did not have ID cards and there was no electronic payment option. If all cities/towns/villages start collecting this kind of fees, how would citizens travel within the country?

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I was on a road trip to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu on 1st October 2022. While entering Kanyakumari, we were stopped by few persons and collected ₹70 (Rupees Seventy) as the Entry Fee for Kanyakumari. Not sure under what law they are collecting entry fee from Private vehicles on a National Highway (NH-66)? They were not in uniform, did not have ID cards and there was no electronic payment option. If all cities/towns/villages start collecting this kind of fees, how would citizens travel within the country?

Location: Vivekanandapuram, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu 629702

GPS Coordinates: E77.549251 N8.092612

Google Map Location

Fee Receipt:

Dashcam Video

Here's what GTO had to say on the matter:

Recently paid a similar fee at Tiger Point (en route Amby Valley) of all the places! Typical goon-type guy came up when I was exiting. Had the lady in the car, so didn't want to argue in the middle of nowhere over 50 - 70 bucks and potentially pick up a fight with locals. Sucked it up, paid and even got a similar pink receipt for the amount.

Here's what BHPian libranof1987 had to say on the matter:

They're here as well:

Map location 1

Map location 2

Paying at either places works; and, legality is a big question mark. I paid up 70 as well (for Crysta); given that I was driving an out of state car, with no common language skills, I just paid rather than argue.

Here's what BHPian Vasuki had to say on the matter:

Such entry fees are noted at many places throughout India.

Some places I can remember of are Manali and Leh. I believe they are labeled as green taxes or sort.

Hope they are used for good purposes.

Here's what BHPian DicKy had to say on the matter:

Dodge them and be stubborn in not stopping. They will continue waving for the next vehicle.

Not been to Kanyakumari since the Covid-19, so don't know how it is at present. Earlier they used to flag down and collect money at the 'arch' entrance (before the Thiruvalluvar Statue era). They then started collecting money both at the 'arch' entrance and down near the circle. Then the NH44 extension was opened, used to take that road to circumvent the usual entrance. Recently, we would go straight to near the circle and park at a small pay n' park ground, since we would be mostly visiting the Kanyakumari Devi temple.

Somehow it gets on my nerves when people collect money to enter a 'municipality' or 'district'. Earlier before the bypass came up, in Madurai they would collect money from out of state vehicles and the receipt would say it is to enter Madurai municipality limits.

Here's what BHPian mayukh42 had to say on the matter:

I remember a similar entry fee at Rameswaram also. In fact I was looking for routes to avoid it, but could not.

As if on cue, here is the name of a locality :

Here's what BHPian sagarpadaki had to say on the matter:

One way to know if the fees is legal or not is to check if they collect even at night, say post 10 or 11PM. Genuine collection points will function 24 hrs. Else it is just a daylight robbery of local jobless people with the support of local politicos with whom they are affiliated to

Here's what BHPian locusjag had to say on the matter:

You pay a similar entry fee at many famous spots - Samayapuram (for its Amman temple), Mahabalipuram town entry point fee (can be circumvented by entering from the Southern end I think)...

Heck, when walking through Hogenakkal by foot once between two huge boulders, we were stopped by the hairy leg of a lungi-clad man. His leg acted as a toll barrier for all pedestrians.

The man was a veritable Gandalf and scowled at us with a gruff "you shall not pass". So of course we had to pay him. Not that I advocate men to wax their legs, but for a man with that amount of exposure (the footfalls in Hogenakkal were very high that day), he should think of better presentation!

Note to myself: with waxed legs and a fee being collected, Hogenakkal might just have its very own strip-joint! What are you even suggesting here man.

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