The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway is set to become one of the few national highways without toll plazas. The NHAI is working on a plan to use Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology to collect toll charges on the newly upgraded national highway, an official said.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) currently uses ANPR technology on the Delhi-Meerut expressway and will gradually roll it out on other expressways and national highways. The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway will be among the first few to get it.
Under this system, toll charges are deducted from FASTag based on a vehicle’s entry and exit as captured by ANPR cameras.
The NHAI is working to instal the ANPR cameras at the 89 entry/exit points of the expressway and will likely remove all toll plazas.
The 55.63-km Bengaluru-Nidaghatta expressway section has two toll plazas (at Kaniminike in Bengaluru Urban and Sheshagirihalli in Ramanagar). The NHAI will set up two more toll plazas on the 61-km Nidaghatta-Mysuru section, when it is ready.
Vivek Jaiswal, regional officer (Bengaluru), NHAI, confirmed the plan, but didn’t specify a deadline.
ANPR technology will address one of the major complaints faced by expressway vehicle users.
Drivers say they have to wait long at toll plazas because the electronic fee collection system under FAStag is too slow. Long queues are seen at the Kaniminike and Seshagirihalli toll plazas.
Toll-free service roads
Asked about complaints from people travelling to and from Bidadi, Channapatna and Ramanagara, NHAI suggested that they use the two-lane service roads situated on either side, but their travel time might increase.
Jaiswal said vehicle users from Bengaluru could take the service road from km 18.
After reaching km 65, they could use the entry point and get to the main carriageway, he added.
“There’s no toll fee for using the service road,” he said. The six-lane tolled expressway is for people travelling long
distances and looking for a seamless travel experience, he said.
Pending work
Except for road surfacing starting at the 105th km, all work on the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway has been completed. The road surfacing will be completed in five days, according to NHAI.
A Banashankari resident, who frequently travels between Bengaluru and Mysuru, said that all work had been completed except for a four-km stretch in Mandya district.
He said it took him 100 minutes to travel from Nayandahalli in Bengaluru to Mysuru’s Manipal Hospital Junction.