Noida toll bridge hike likely to be rolled back
By IANSThursday, February 17, 2011
NOIDA - The Noida Toll Bridge Company (NTBC) has assured the authorities that it will rollback the hike in tariff for using the Delhi-Noida-Delhi(DND) Flyway that connects the satellite town to the national capital, an official said.
Noida authority CEO Rama Raman said: “They have told us that they would reduce the rates to the original tariff structure. We have asked them to submit the proposal for a hike again before the (Noida) authority, on which we would contemplate.”
Earlier Thursday, over 150 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers laid seige to the DND Flyway booths, and let several vehicles to pass without paying a toll.
BJP activists gathered near Ashram Road in south Delhi and almost blocked the DND flyway, creating traffic woes for commuters. The jams began in the wee hours of Thursday morning.
Traffic for Noida was diverted towards Sarai Kale Khan and Akshardham route.
Addressing the crowd, Nawab Singh Nagar, former BJP legislator from Noida, said: “The toll bridge officials have acted illegally by not complying with the (Noida) authority. The common man has to bear the burden. We are surprised with their careless attitude.”
“We suspect that few authority officials might also be involved with the toll bridge company under whose influence they have acted like this. We would not allow this to happen and would sit daily like this until the hike is rolled back,” Nagar said.
As per the new rates levied since Monday midnight, the cars and jeeps are required to pay Rs.25 instead of the earlier Rs.20.
Light motor vehicles have to shell out Rs.50, in place of the earlier Rs.40. The buses and trucks would be required to pay Rs.65, instead of Rs.50.
Large vehicles are charged Rs.90 instead of the earlier Rs.65. Extra-large vehicles would be levied Rs.115, up from Rs.85. However, the toll for two-wheelers was left untouched.
A meeting held between the NTBC and Noida Authority officials Monday evening saw the latter expressing stern reservations on the hike.
The Noida Authority had reportedly rejected the companys demand to increase the toll by 25 percent. It had also declined to accept the firms demand of notifying the proposal for increase in toll.
The company, however, went ahead with its decision Monday night.
–Indio-Asian News Service
