NH7 | Hebbal-Yelahanka Elevated Expressway | 3.2 KMs - 6 lane |U/C

[rsrikanth05]

All hell shall break lose tomorrow.

[avinash2060]

Posted On Monday, April 25, 2011 at 11:50:52 PM

The first day of toll collection on the Bangalore International Airport (BIA) road ended in a tragedy after a private bus ran over a toll collector at the booth near Trumpet Interchange on Monday morning. The deceased has been identified as Narayanaswamy (22). Traffic police gave chase but could not catch the bus driver as he fled after abandoning the vehicle near Chikkajala police station.

The irate public blocked the road for many hours, resulting in heavy traffic jam. Meanwhile, a few alleged activists of Kannada Rakshana Vedike went on the rampage at the toll gate, saying it (toll) was a burden on the common people.
The crowd dispersed only after after transport minister R Ashoka reached the spot and ordered the officials to stop collec
ting toll. He also slammed the Centre for starting toll collection before discussing the matter with its state counterpart.

http://www.bangaloremirror.com/artic...oll-booth.html

[naveen_blr]

@Avinash
Sense Now? Hyd has an elevated flyover(longest in India) just for the airport from the city
while the road here is a national highway.

[avinash2060]

Published: Tuesday, Apr 26, 2011, 8:41 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

The state government on Monday entered into a direct confrontation with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over the collection of toll from vehicles plying on the road towards the international airport, with a state minister ordering the suspension of the “illegal” fee.

Terming the collection of toll, which commenced on Sunday midnight, illegal, minister for transport and home R Ashoka, who visited the plaza, said the NHAI had not taken permission from the state transport authorities before commencing the construction of the toll plaza at near Sadahalli Gate.

The minister also ordered the toll booth employees to refrain from collecting fee from motorists till the government held another round of parleys with the NHAI.

The project director of NHAI in Bangalore, RK Gupta, refused to comment on Ashoka’s statement. “It (the decision of collecting toll) is a government of India notification to start collecting toll, and we did it. I cannot make comments on what the state transport minister has said.”

The NHAI constructed the plaza ahead of the trumpet deviation to the airport, triggering widespread criticism and protests from taxi unions.

Meanwhile, the NHAI denied making any promises to the representatives of taxi unions during a meeting with them. It has been earlier claimed that the authority had promised not to levy tax till the six-lane expressway project was completed by March 2013.
NHAI officials met taxi unions on April 18 and reportedly assured that the toll collection would begin only after the completion of the project. Based on the promise, the unions called off the protest, and the NHAI did not collect the toll for a week.

The collection of the toll started on a tragic note as a youth was killed in a freak accident at the plaza. Following the accident, residents protested against the plaza. They were later joined by activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, and a few taxi unions, who went on a rampage and damaged the toll booths.

GR Shanmugappa, president of the All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), who also joined the protesters said: “We are against the government constructing the toll plaza ahead of trumpet section of the airport, and not as proposed beyond the airport. Also, we are hurt as the NHAI officials have now backed off from their assurances made to us last week that the toll will not be levied until the (expressway) project is completed.”

Meanwhile, cabbies and truckers alleged that the NHAI asked them to take monthly pass for `975, or else they would not be allowed to pass through the plaza.

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/re...a-govt_1536265

[avinash2060]

Published: Tuesday, Apr 26, 2011, 8:29 IST
By Team DNA | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

Toll collection on Bellary Road near the trumpet junction to Bengaluru International Airport (BIA) lasted only a few hours on its first day before home and transport minister R Ashoka ordered it to be stopped temporarily until another round of talks were held between the state government and the National HighwaysAuthority of India (NHAI).

But it took one fatal accident claiming the life of a 22-year-old, at least 16 passengers missing their flights, and Kannada activists and cab drivers protesting and damaging the toll booths for the state government to order halt to toll collection there.

The drama began at around 6.30 am on Monday when 22-year old Narayanaswamy, a toll collector, died when a private bus crushed him close to the booth installed near Chikkajala.

Following this, the people who gathered at the spot staged a protest against the state government for allowing toll collection on Bellary Road on the way to BIA.

Members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike then arrived on the spot and damaged the eight toll booths before being taken into custody by the police. Later members of the taxi drivers’ associations, too, staged protests at the toll booths while demanding that NHAI stop toll collection till the elevated road project along Bellary Road is completed.

Minister Ashoka, who had met representatives of the cab associations on Monday morning, visited the toll booth later in the day. He then asked the toll collection agency to stop the collection till another round of talks with NHAI and state government was held.

“The NHAI have not taken permission from the state transport authorities prior to the construction of toll booths near BIA. Also, there are irregularities in the entire process,” he said. But NHAI officials stuck to their stand. “It is a Government of India order for us to start collecting toll, and so we did. But I cannot make any comments on what the state transport minister has said,” said RK Gupta, project director of Bangalore, NHAI.

The chaos, vehicle queues and traffic congestion that prevailed led to at least 16 passengers missing their morning flights by well over 40 minutes, according to information gathered by DNA from the cab drivers. However, this could not be verified by any of the airlines.

http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/re...y-road_1536259

[rsrikanth05]

While I agree partially with R Ashok, what everybody forgets is that the road is a bloody NH. NH44. India's longest highway.
It comes under the MoRTH.
They build, they operate. PERIOD.

[Bangalore_Geek]

You mean NH7...

[rsrikanth05]

Originally Posted by Bangalore_Geek

You mean NH7...

National Highways got renumbered last April.
A map of renumbered NHs by my fellow Real Life Friend/Wikipedian/SSC Member PlaneMad
image hosted on flickr

Renumbered National Highways map of India (Schematic) by PlaneMad, on Flickr

[zoxtannin]

is this official??? where is the link in ovt website??

[avinash2060]

BANGALORE: Opposition against BIA toll plaza seems to be only getting stronger. Just a day after Karnataka Rakshana Vedike men ransacked the toll booth, on Tuesday, state Bharatiya Janata Party-Yuva Morcha protested against the Airport Road toll decision. Calling the toll collection on Sadarahalli Gate a scam, a group of BJP Yuva Morcha activists, under the leadership of CN Ashwath Narayan, MLA Malleswaram and S Muniraju, MLA Dasarahalli, chanted anti-UPA slogans.

Even state home and transport minister R Ashoka has condemned the decision of NHAI and central government as illegal.

BJP activists demanded the Centre revise the decision, warning the Yuva Morcha would otherwise intensify the agitation.

Said C N Ashwath Narayan: "In no city such an anti-people toll policy is followed. They can place the toll gate a little further from the airport. This will save airport commuters and city taxi operators both time and money."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...ow/8094545.cms

[avinash2060]

A day after KRV activists ransacked the toll booths at Sadarahalli Gate on Bellary Road, members of the BJP Yuva Morcha held a protest near the booths and demanded action against the contractor who has been held responsible for the death of a person on Monday.

They have also demanded permanent removal of toll booths from that location.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Bengaluru President of BJP Yuva Morcha, Mr Ganesh, said: “When the 6-lane project is still not complete, the contractor is not authorized to collect toll. Our demand is that National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) should remove the toll booths and put it beyond the airport. Airport-users are not going to pay the toll. Once the project is completed, we have no issues if they collect the toll, but they should erect the toll booths beyond the airport.”

Over 500 members took part in the protest held between 11.30 am and 1 pm on Bellary Road.

“The villagers will have to face several difficulties if the toll booths are operational. Taxi drivers who make several trips to the airport every day will have to endure traffic jams. Paying toll on each trip is another issue. Yesterday, we had requested the Minister of Home and Transport to intervene. He also said that the State Government was unaware of NHAI’s activities. The toll collection has been stopped for a while, but we want a permanent solution. Whenever they start the collection, we will start our dharna and will not let it happen at any cost,” said Mr Ganesh.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chann...irport-bjp-487

[rsrikanth05]

Originally Posted by zoxtannin

is this official??? where is the link in ovt website??

NH renumbering ?? The map description has a link to an archaic pdf with details issues by DoRTH. I believe a gazette notification is there on the wikimedia mailing list
Will dig it out for you.

[kshiremath]

Expressway in other city like Hyderabad is now operational but in bangalore now they started constucting Flyover/expressway. We are very late as for development concern. The elevated road is very small.

[rsrikanth05]

Originally Posted by kshiremath

Expressway in other city like Hyderabad is now operational but in bangalore now they started constucting Flyover/expressway. We are very late as for development concern. The elevated road is very small.

Small as in Narrow?
Or Length?

[jumoni]

On 24th morning, I had the chance to drive down to BIAL.

Some random pictures.

These boring machines looks taller then the ones used in Hosur elevated highway.



Quality of the road... Its quite amazing how the quality changes once you get down the hebbal flyover towards BIAL.

[jumoni]

One of the two speed cameras on the highway. Speed limit 80 kmph



Here's the other one.

[jumoni]

I have some reservation regarding widening of this road into 10 lanes at ground level at this part. How are they going to convince Airforce to part way with this wall and the beautiful garden just beyond it. Same goes for the other side as well.

[jumoni]

[jumoni]

Underpass widening will be required at this railway under-bridge. BTW, whos responsibility will it be, the Railways or the Highway Authority?

[naveen_blr]

add to it HSRL