For 3 days, vehicles zip through Paranur without paying toll
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:29.01.2020
For the third day in a row, vehicles crossed Paranur toll plaza on Chennai’s outskirts without paying user fee as the facility damaged by angry commuters is yet to be repaired.
Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest this entails a revenue loss of at least ₹70 lakh. It might take another three days to repair the damage caused when passengers of a state-owned bus ransacked the toll plaza after one of its employees attacked the bus crew during an argument over paying toll.
Motorists are, however, happy that they can zip through without much of a wait. “It is frustrating to wait for 20-30 minutes everyday. Vehicles queue up for more than a kilometre during weekends and festive seasons,” said A Mani, a private bus driver. “We thought it will become better after FASTag was made mandatory. But entering FASTag lanes has become difficult now.”
More than half the vehicles haven’t subscribed to FASTag (digital toll collection system) and pay fee by cash. But only two of six lanes accept cash. So vehicles attempting to enter these two lanes drive across and block those with FASTag, Mani added.
The toll plaza, set up in 2005, has so far collected ₹609 crore, according to official data. Despite collecting more than what was invested (₹540 crore), the rates haven’t been cut, complain motorists.
S Yuvraj of Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Federation claimed the concessionaire agreement signed with the contractor had expired but toll collection continued.
DARING THEFT: CCTV camera grab of money being looted from the toll plaza
₹18 lakh stolen on January 26
Chennai: A complaint has been filed with police claiming that ₹18 lakh was stolen from the toll plaza at Paranur during the violence on January 26. Police are checking CCTV camera footage to establish the truth. TNN
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Chennai:29.01.2020
For the third day in a row, vehicles crossed Paranur toll plaza on Chennai’s outskirts without paying user fee as the facility damaged by angry commuters is yet to be repaired.
Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest this entails a revenue loss of at least ₹70 lakh. It might take another three days to repair the damage caused when passengers of a state-owned bus ransacked the toll plaza after one of its employees attacked the bus crew during an argument over paying toll.
Motorists are, however, happy that they can zip through without much of a wait. “It is frustrating to wait for 20-30 minutes everyday. Vehicles queue up for more than a kilometre during weekends and festive seasons,” said A Mani, a private bus driver. “We thought it will become better after FASTag was made mandatory. But entering FASTag lanes has become difficult now.”
More than half the vehicles haven’t subscribed to FASTag (digital toll collection system) and pay fee by cash. But only two of six lanes accept cash. So vehicles attempting to enter these two lanes drive across and block those with FASTag, Mani added.
The toll plaza, set up in 2005, has so far collected ₹609 crore, according to official data. Despite collecting more than what was invested (₹540 crore), the rates haven’t been cut, complain motorists.
S Yuvraj of Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Federation claimed the concessionaire agreement signed with the contractor had expired but toll collection continued.
DARING THEFT: CCTV camera grab of money being looted from the toll plaza
₹18 lakh stolen on January 26
Chennai: A complaint has been filed with police claiming that ₹18 lakh was stolen from the toll plaza at Paranur during the violence on January 26. Police are checking CCTV camera footage to establish the truth. TNN
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