Mysuru: Come December, you will have to pay toll to drive along Mysuru-Nanjangud Road to reach Ooty, Mysuru-T. Narasipur Road to reach Kollegal and Tamil Nadu and Gundlupet-Moolehole Road to reach Kerala. All these roads are part of NH-766 (earlier NH-212) that will become a tolled road. 

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a gazette notification to introduce toll on these roads on Nov. 20. The notification authorises the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to collect toll either through its officials or through contractors. 

According to the gazette notification, three toll plazas will come up on this stretch bordering Kerala and Mysuru. It includes Maddur near Gundlupet, near Kadakola between Mysuru and Nanjangud and near Yedathore close to T. Narasipur.

Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, NHAI Project Director B.T. Sridhar said that following the notification, the roads will be tolled and the process of fixing the rates is on. “We need to finalise the prices and a couple of meetings will be held and it is too early to spell details about the likely toll charges. A public notification will be issued after discussion and tenders will be issued inviting toll-collecting contractors,” he said. 

The NH 766 project entailed upgrading the Mysuru-Nanjangud section (24 km) to a four-lane stretch in view of the high traffic density. The project was taken up with the understanding that it would be a tolled highway. The highway links Uttamballi in Kollegal region of Chamarajanagar district with Moolehole in Bandipur and is linked to Kozhikode in Kerala. 

“The estimated capital cost of the project is Rs 429.45 crore. The NHAI shall maintain a record of the recovery of capital cost through user fee realised and after recovery of the capital cost, the fee leviable shall be reduced to 40% of the rates and shall be revised annually in accordance with the said rules,” the notification said. 

As per the Ministry notification, the Central Government will levy the fee for a 33.679 km stretch from Moolehole, for 26.751 km stretch on the Mysuru-Nanjangud section and for 47.148 km stretch from Varakodu. 

The notification also states that the rate for monthly pass for a person who owns a mechanical vehicle registered for non-commercial purpose and resides within a distance of 20 km from the toll plaza will be Rs. 265 per month for the year 2019-20 subject to revision every year.

It may be recalled here that there were severe protests by farmers led by Raitha Sangha against the introduction of toll on the road as the stretch is the only link that connects Mysuru to Nanjangud, Mysuru to T. Narasipur and Gundlupet to Moolehole. 

The road is taken by farmers who take their produce to Kerala and Mysuru. Following pressure, the toll was not enforced till now.