Write Comment     |     E-Mail To a Friend     |     Facebook     |     Twitter     |     Print

MANGALORE: Travel to BC Road from Mangalore will get costlier. The National Highways Authority of India will collect user fee on the 18.60 km National Highway road from December 5 midnight. This will mean that travel, be it either by bus or own vehicle, barring two wheelers, will become costlier.

 While it is Rs 20 for four wheelers it will be Rs 60 for buses for single journey. For return journey within a day it will be Rs 25 for four wheelers, barring light commercial vehicles, and Rs 90 for buses. A Gazette Notification regarding this has already been issued.

 KSRTC Mangalore Division traffic officer confirmed that rates will go up. ``We will inform the central office and take a call. The maximum for ordinary buses will be Re 1 and Rs 2 to Rs 3 for Airavat buses,’’ the official said.

 While NHAI gives concession for buses in the form of a monthly pass for 50 single journeys at Rs 1,975 and Rs 585 for four wheelers, KSRTC officials said that their frequency is much more than that for ordinary buses enroute Dharmasthala, Puttur, Sullia, BC Road and other places as buses undertake multiple journeys.

 In anticipation of the hike, NHAI has deployed an agency to repair the bad stretches on this road from Saturday and also remove the sand that has accumulated near the dividers. ``Work on repairing the bad stretches should be completed in a fortnight,’’ said NHAI Project Director Shriram Mishra.

 Though the 37 km Surathkal-BC Road was constructed by one agency, Ircon International Limited (IRCON), the toll collection and maintenance of the 18.60 km and the rest of the NH will be done by different agencies. Toll booths have already been erected near Brahmarakootlu for this purpose.

 Regarding two openings on the Padil to Maroli by pass near Bikkarnakatte - one near Infant Jesus Shrine and the other just 50 mts ahead near the flyover, Mishra said since the service road was narrow; it will stay till the service road is widened. ``The secretary of a building on the service road has brought a stay from the High Court even after receiving the compensation money. So till the service road is widened after acquisition there is no other way but to keep the openings which are close to each other to avoid congestion,’’ he said.