Non- peak hours too witnessing traffic jam at Kherki Dhaula

Gurugram: Kherki Dhaula toll plaza in Gurugram continued to witness traffic jam on the third day of FASTag implementation. Not only is the traffic jam being witnessed at the peak hours that includes timing from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm but traffic jams are also being witnessed at the non-peak hours.

What is making the situation even more difficult at the toll plaza is a large movement of heavy commercial vehicles that are further increasing the time of paying the toll for the commuters. A large number of vehicle owners are still preferring to pay the cash than install FASTag devices.

As per standards, those vehicles that have not installed FASTag devices and come into the FASTag lanes will have to pay an extra amount for the toll. Despite this large number of vehicles owners are willing to pay the extra toll.

As per the officials, on an average, there are 2,000 vehicles who come into the FASTag lane and pay double the amount through cash. There are 25 gates at the Kherki Dhaula toll plaza. In this 18 gates have been reserved for the FASTag vehicles while six have been left for those vehicles that want to pay cash. One gate has been left for emergency vehicles and the VIP vehicles.

A long queue of vehicles lined up at the cash lane is making it difficult for the officials to manage the traffic.

Despite the initial challenges of a chaotic situation prevailing at the Gurugram toll plaza, top officials have expressed optimism that situation will improve.

"A large number of commuters are now coming in large numbers to get the FASTag devices installed in their vehicles. A number that used to be in hundreds earlier are now being seen in thousands. The situation will improve and the commuting time at Kherki Dhaula will become seamless in the time to come," said RK Bhatti.

Located at the Delhi-Jaipur expressway and being the major route for going towards industrial townships of Manesar, Daruhera and Bawal, lakhs of vehicles descended to Kherki Dhaula.

As witnessed on previous occasions, the situation only leads to more chaos with large traffic jams extending up to three to four kilometers.

(Image from indiatoday.in)