Karnataka Toll Rate Hike Alert: Bengaluru-Mysuru, Airport Road, STRR, etc Users May Pay More From April 1

Karnataka Toll Hike Alert: Highway commuters in Karnataka are likely to face an additional financial burden, as toll charges may increase across the state from April 1. Vehicle users could be required to pay 3-5% more as part of the annual inflation-linked revision, Deccan Herald reported, citing a National Highways Authority of India official.

The revised fares will be notified in the coming days, as per the DH report. Goodreturns couldn't verify the development. As per the news report, the charges are increased as part of the surge in Wholesale Price Index (WPI).

Karnataka Toll Hike: Where Will it Be Applicable?

The higher toll rates will be applicable to almost all the toll plazas in the state, as per the DH report which added that only 10-odd toll plazas will see a price hike later in the year on September 1.

"The toll charges are increased by rounding off the increase in the WPI. For example, if there is an increase of Rs 2.5 or more, it will be rounded off to Rs 5," DH quoted the NHAI official.

Toll plazas that may see a hike in toll charges from April 1 include Kaniminike and Sheshagirihalli (Bengaluru-Mysuru), Bagepalli (Bengaluru-Hyderabad), Sadahalli (Bengaluru Airport road), Nangli (Bengaluru-Tirupati), and Hulikunte and Nalluru Devanahalli (Satellite Town Ring Road).

How Much Price Hike Is Expected?

Toll charges revision is a regular practice that happens every year, generally at the start of the financial year. The toll revision from April 1 across toll plazas in Karnataka is expected to be of 5%. However, an official notice or confirmation is awaited.

Tamil Nadu Toll Hike

Just like Karnataka, multiple toll plazas in Tamil Nadu are also likely to see a surge in toll charge rates from April 1. Of the 77 toll plazas on national highways in Tamil Nadu, user fees at 60 plazas will change from April 1, while the remaining 17 will see revised toll charges on September 1. This staggered schedule also comes under the same National Highways Rules, 2008 framework for periodic revisions.

According to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), user fees at these toll plazas will rise between 3% and 5%. For cars and jeeps, toll charges will increase by Rs 5 per trip, while buses and heavier vehicles will see hikes ranging from Rs 15 to Rs 40, depending on the category, reported Times of India.

NHAI has stated that the toll charges revision at these toll plazas follows the National Highways (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules, 2008. The user fees change is part of the annual schedule, which adjusts rates based on inflation and other factors notified by the Union government each financial year.