Expressway tax takes its toll

Residents begin signature campaign to protest against the soon to be implemented tariff, calling it a 'fraud'

Residents begin signature campaign to protest against the soon to be implemented tariff, calling it a 'fraud'

From September 30, a drive through the NOIDA-Greater NOIDA Expressway will be anything but free.
The UP government, in a recent notification, has included the 21.5 km-long stretch into the toll road category.


The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway was free to commuters till after
10 years of its opening

And local residents are less than pleased. 'Hai Ummeed', an organisation led by NOIDA habitants, has started a signature campaign against the toll tax. They have also warned that if the authorities try to forcefully implement the tax, then the protesters would take to the streets.

Chairman of the organisation Vineet Choudhary said, "Collecting a tax from residents of the planning area is a

EXPRESS FACTS

The NOIDA-Greater NOIDA Expressway was built in 2000, and was free to the commuters for the last 10 years. NOIDA Authority paid for 20 km and Greater NOIDA Authority paid for the rest of the stretch. The overall cost of the expressway was around Rs 400 crore. NOIDA authority has signed an agreement with Jaypee Infratech for charging a toll tax on this stretch. Sources said the decision was taken by the Uttar Pradesh government. According to the agreement, the authority has handed over management of the stretch to the firm building the 165-km Yamuna Expressway. YK Behl, additional chief executive officer of Yamuna Expressway authority said: "As per the agreement, the firm will charge toll on this stretch for the next 36 years."

complete fraud and we will protest against it. NOIDA - Greater NOIDA authorities sold thousands of flats in this area by propagating the name of the Link Road Plot, which would connect NOIDA to Greater NOIDA.

It was said that you would be able to reach from one end to the other in just 20 minutes. Thousands of people rely on the claims made by the authorities and have built their homes here. And collecting a tax from them is a complete fraud. The Expressway was built from the taxpayers' money; then what right do they have to take such a decision?"

He added: "To know the reality, we have filed an RTI query with the authorities, under which we have asked a lot of things. Meanwhile, we are collecting support of residents of both cities through a signature campaign. We will not accept this decision of the authorities."

So far, more than 500 people have signed up for the campaign. The organisers plan to send the collective application to the authorities.

HOW MUCH YOU PAY
Cars: Rs 0.80/km
Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs): Rs 1.30/km
Buses: Rs 2.75/km
Seven-axle Vehicles: Rs 4.30/km
Heavy Motor Vehicles (HMVs): Rs 5.25/km