Travelers to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) along Bellary Road, the Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR), and the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, will be paying higher tolls starting April 1 after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) announced an increase of roughly 3-5 percent on Wednesday.

Tolls for a one-way trip (cars) will increase from Rs 115 to Rs 120 at the Sadahalli toll plaza near the airport, with the return trip increasing from Rs 170 to Rs 180. This hike will affect a considerable group of private motorists, air passengers who use taxis to the airport, and day travelers who take either city or AC buses to commute to and from the airport – an estimated range of 80,000 to 1 lakh vehicles are expected to pass each day over the familiar route.

For light commercial vehicles (LCVs) and mini buses, the one-way toll will increase from Rs 175 to Rs 185 and from Rs 265 to Rs 275 for a return trip. Trucks and larger buses will now pay Rs 370 for a one-way trip (increase of Rs 15) and Rs 550 for a return trip (increase of Rs 15). Monthly passes for cars (50 trips a month) will now cost Rs 3,970 and the local pass is unchanged at Rs 350.

The Sadahalli toll plaza generated an extraordinary revenue of Rs 308 crore for the year 2023-24, which marks a 10-year record. The plaza has generated a total of Rs 1,577 crore in the last 10 years in total, which is the highest amongst the toll plazas in the state. Previously, for the same plaza, the highest revenue recorded was for the financial year 2018-19, which was Rs 187 crore.

The reason for such a significant collection of user fee, and therefore toll tax, at the plaza, is the geographical location of the toll plaza on NH 44, who is a major highway that essentially is the only opportunity for drivers connecting Bengaluru to KIA, the third busiest airport in India. Moreover, the airport generates significant passenger traffic both incoming and outgoing which sees millions of travelers utilizing the roadway connecting Bengaluru and the airport. The vast volume of vehicular traffic is predominantly made up of taxis, personal cars, and buses and the toll plaza easlily benefits from the volume generated from the plaza.

Drivers utilizing STRR (Shivagange Toll Road), which connects Dabaspet with Hoskote, will also experience toll rate increases at both the Nallur-Devanahalli toll plaza and the Hulikunte toll plaza. For cars and LCVs, the increase will be Rs 5 for a single trip and Rs 10 for a round trip. Buses will see a toll increase of Rs 10 for a single trip and Rs 20 for a round trip. Cost for a monthly pass for cars at Nallur-Devanahalli will be Rs 2815 and Rs 3615 at Hulikunte. The local pass at both, however, will remain unchanged at Rs 350. STRR was developed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana and connects Bengaluru with the Chennai Expressway at Hoskote.

Toll Boost On Bengaluru-Mysuru

Toll rates for the 119-km Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway will also increase on April 1 with increases ranging from Rs 5 to Rs 10, depending on the type of vehicle.

NHAI officials stated that the notification for revising toll fees on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway would be issued shortly. ”Currently, tolls are collected at two plazas, but there is a proposal to introduce multiple toll booths at entry and exit points, allowing motorists to pay based on the distance traveled,” a NHAI official reportedly said.

With around 70,000 vehicles using the main carriageway every day, the toll revision will affect both the private and commercial vehicles. NHAI officials discussed that the 3-5 percentage increases are part of the annual revision for nation highways in India.

“This is a routine process. The revised fares have been approved for Ballari Road, STRR, and Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, with more hikes expected on Tumkur Road and the Bengaluru-Kolar Highway soon,” said KB Jayakumar, project director at NHAI.

Also Read: Delhi-Jaipur Highway Shut On March 26-27! Here’s Why And Alternate Routes You Can Take