Toll collection on Ganga Expressway begins after 15-day exemption period

     Lucknow, May 15 (PTI) Toll collection on the Ganga Expressway commenced on Friday following the end of the 15-day toll-free period announced by the Uttar Pradesh government to encourage public use of the newly inaugurated corridor.
     Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated the Ganga Expressway from Hardoi district on April 29 in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and other senior leaders.
     The 594-km-long expressway connects Meerut with Prayagraj and is among the country's longest access-controlled expressways aimed at improving connectivity between western and eastern Uttar Pradesh.
     The Uttar Pradesh government had announced a 15-day toll exemption from the date of commencement of commercial operation to allow people to experience the state's longest expressway without charges.
     The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) had directed concessionaires IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd and Adani Infrastructure to suspend toll collection during the period. Officials had said the move was aimed at promoting wider public usage, tourism and confidence in the project.
     Developed under the public-private partnership model on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis, the concessionaires have been granted toll collection rights for 27 years. Officials had said any revenue loss during the toll-free period would be compensated by the state government or UPEIDA as per the agreement.
     Additional Chief Executive Officer, UPEIDA, Srihari Pratap Shahi told PTI that the Ganga Expressway has been divided into four stretches -- Meerut to Budaun (129.7 km), Budaun to Hardoi (151.7 km), Hardoi to Unnao (155.7 km), and Unnao to Prayagraj (156.847 km) -- with toll charges calculated separately for each segment..
    For cars, jeeps and vans (light motor vehicles), the toll has been fixed at approximately Rs 435 for the first stretch, Rs 480 for second, Rs 485 for the third and Rs 400 for the fourth, taking the total cost for traversing the entire expressway to around Rs 1,800.
    For two and three-wheelers, and tractors, the cumulative toll across all stretches is estimated to be around Rs 905.
     The toll for light commercial vehicles has been pegged at around Rs 2,840 for the full route, while buses and trucks will be charged approximately Rs 5,720..
     Heavier vehicles such as multi-axle (three-six) and seven-plus axle vehicles will incur higher charges, with total tolls estimated at about Rs 8,760 and Rs 11,265 respectively for the entire journey.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)