Troubled Toll Roads

Success is the road you take, not the destination; the question here is what if the journey you take is filled by frequent and high priced toll gates!

Toll gates are becoming a raging topic of discussion over their role in solving inter and intra state traffic woes- or creating one.  Toll gates/booths come under the National Highways Authority of India – a Government body responsible for the development, maintenance and management of National Highways and the toll roads in India. Though the body has an impressive reach of 33 lakh km (approx) in India however, it doesn't live up to the expectations when it comes to management of toll roads on the major high ways of the country.

Most of these are based on BOO basis - Build, Own & Operate. Although the construction company builds the road, they are not given a free hand to charge whatever they want. They are either allowed to earn a fixed RoE (Return on Equity). This method initially proved to be functioning smoothly but is on brink of collapse with millions of cars adding to the Indian road every year.

The bump on the roads doesn't come from just the regular halts at the toll, but also from overpriced toll challans, condition of the roads, non-availability of basic facilities on the toll stretch, less or no signages, and of course, the stray animals on the highways. Many of these prove to fodder a rather inconvenient journey-more so in the night when it’s dangerous.

Talking about India’s Largest Toll gate, the Delhi – Gurgaon Toll, with its 32 + 4 reversible toll lanes, succumbs to high traffic every day during rush hour and 20-30 minutes wait to pay for the toll is almost routine for travelers. To add to this is the lack of a comprehensive traffic management plan and faulty road design, traffic bottlenecks, lack of road space, non-functional traffic signals and unmanned crossings.

Unfortunately, cases like this perpetuate a stereotype of Indian bureaucratic incompetency on multiple levels. But failure in this model does throw light on other mode of collecting toll, for example Automated toll gate system using passive RFID & GSM technology is being preferred and is proposed to be deployed at maximum toll gate by the end of 2014. Then again, there are rumors of the toll being lifted completely. Either way, here’s hoping for a better journey on Indian roads- inter and intra state please.  Till then, start 15 minutes early from home.