Mysuru/Srirangapatna: Tourists visiting the Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) Dam in Srirangapatna Taluk of Mandya District will continue to be charged a toll for one more year to access the 650-metre bridge, as the Cauvery Neeravari Nigam Limited (CNNL) has not yet recovered the construction costs of the bridge.

The toll is applicable to all vehicles accessing the KRS Reservoir via the bridge, which was constructed in 2001 at an estimated cost of Rs. 18 crore. Despite the CNNL initiating toll collection since 2001, only Rs. 16.02 crore has been recovered thus far over the span of 22 years.

The persistent imposition of tolls, even two decades post- construction, has raised concerns among many tourists who assert that the CNNL is exploiting them under the guise of toll collection.

Speaking to SOM this morning, CNNL Assistant Executive Engineer Abu Farooq confirmed that tourists will be required to pay the toll for an additional year.

“Since 2001, we have successfully recovered Rs. 16.02 crore and we anticipate collecting the remaining Rs. 1.98 crore by the end of 2024. Once the full recovery is achieved, we plan to submit a proposal to the Government,” AEE Abu Farooq stated.

In 2001, a bridge was constructed below the KRS Dam, connecting Katteri Hosur Circle to Aralimara Circle in KRS revenue village. As it was decided to collect toll charges to recover the construction expenditure, the toll collection began at the main entrance to the bridge on the Santhemala-Aralimara Circle in KRS revenue village and a toll booth has been set up there.

The CNNL has entrusted the responsibility of collecting the toll to Karnataka Commercial and Industrial Corporation Ltd., (KCIC). However, barring the period of tolls collected from 2004 to 2022, CNNL does not have any details or records related to the total amount of tolls collected from 2001 to 2003.

A total of Rs. 36.4 lakh was collected in the year 2004 alone and a total of Rs. 15.5 crore has been collected from 2004 till March 2022-23. Till now, the CNNL has collected a toll of Rs. 16.02 crore.

Toll charges, entry fee

• Cars: Rs. 50 (Rs. 100 including parking fee at Brindavan Gardens)
• Tempo Traveller vans: Rs. 70 (Rs. 140 including parking fee at Brindavan Gardens)
• Autorickshaws: Rs. 20 (Rs. 50 including parking fee at Brindavan Gardens)
• Buses: Rs. 100 (Rs. 200 including parking fee at Brindavan Gardens)
• Lorries: Rs. 150 (Rs. 300 including parking fee at Brindavan Gardens)
• Entry fee for Brindavan Gardens: Rs. 50 for adults and Rs. 10 for children (from 3 years to six years)