Pay Rs 320 for a short-cut to Taj
10 Aug 2012 8:14 AM IST
Now you can reach Taj Mahal in almost two hours, all thanks to the Yamuna Expressway. Not only that, you will not have to pay a single penny as toll tax till 15 August. As a gift to the general public on the Independence Day, the developers of the expressway have decided to exempt the toll tax till then.
The announcement in this regard was made by Sameer Gaur, Joint Managing Director of Jaypee Group, in a press conference in Greater Noida on Thursday.
There are three toll plazas on the expressway. The first plaza is in Jewar at 38 km, which allows one to travel for 48 km on the expressway. The second toll plaza is at 94 km in Mathura, which allows a passengers to travel 62 km if he enters the expressway in Jewar. The third toll plaza is at 150 km mile point near Agra.
‘The toll rates will be charged at all three plazas,’ said Gaur. The developer, Jaypee group, has an agreement of 36 years to realise their investment. According to officials of the group, it cost over Rs 12,000 crore, of which Rs 7,000 were loaned from different banks.
‘We will also introduce RAM toll plazas at the entry points maintained at the cuts on the express-way,’ said Gaur.
At present, a car will be charged Rs 320 per trip and Rs 510, if it makes a round trip on the same day or Rs 640 if it returns after 24 hours. ‘If a car makes 20 or more journeys in a calender month from Greater Noida to Agra it will be charged Rs 255,’ said Gaur.
A two-wheeler on the express-way will be charged Rs 150 from zero mile point to Agra and Rs 240 for round trip made within 24 hours. Buses and trucks will have to pay Rs 1,050 for one-way journey from Greater Noida to Agra on the expressway.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament and National Secretary of Samajwadi Party Ram Gopal Yadav praised the Yamuna Express-way for providing fast connectivity for western Uttar Pradesh with the National Capital and providing tourists an easy access to Taj Mahal. He, however, asked developers to complete service roads, make the fencing much higher, solve water logging problems in underpasses, make more underpasses if required and increase the facilities for commuters. Yadav inaugurated the express-way by cutting the ribbon and flagging off a cavalcade of officers.
Though expressway was opened for public at 4 pm on Thursday but some basic facilities related to security and safety are yet to be completed. Officials of the developer Jaypee Group also accepted these drawbacks but assured to rectify them at the earliest.
‘We have completed 28 km of the service lane and will complete the remaining soon. We will also start the construction of five 100-bed hospitals in Gautam Buddhar Nagar, Mathura and Agra within one-and-a- half months,’ said Gaur.
The demand for service lane on both sides of the expressway has been a bone of contention between farmers of the area and developers. The farmers protested several times in this regard. The officials, however, have refused to give them any concession on toll charges.
Also, the expressway passes through three districts-Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mathura and Agra- and several police stations.
Even then, the responsibility of security and traffic management lies with the local police stations. The developers have also given space for police pickets at toll plazas but the deployment of permanent police officers and traffic police officers has not been finalised yet.
‘We have sent a proposal to the government to create an exclusive force and traffic police system for the expressway, but till the plan finalises, we have to depend on local police stations,’ said Gaur.
When asked what will they do if somebody violates the traffic norms, he said, ‘We will stop him and inform the police.’ But how much the local police will be able to manage is a matter of concern. Another problem is that there is no bus stop or petrol filling facility on the expressway.
On the plus side, it is equipped with CCTV cameras, Video Incident Detection System (VIDS), Speed Cameras and Emergency Call Boxes (ECB). The ECBs are stationed at each two km on both sides of the expressway.
Further, weather and traffic warnings will also be displayed on screens. At each toll plaza, two security vehicles, two patrol vehicles, two ambulances, two cranes along with a medical centre will be on duty round-the-clock.
THUMBS UP
THUMBS DOWN
EXPRESSWAY HIGHLIGHTS
‘What about the farmers?’
RLD MP Jayant Chaudhary on Thursday alleged that service lanes and underpasses have not been built for locals and farmers on the 165 km-long Yamuna Expressway. ‘At a time when this road is being inaugurated, the farmers of the region are protesting. Their demand is that when this contract had been sanctioned, the concessionaire Jaypee was supposed to build service lane on both sides,’ Chaudhary said. ‘For a farmer who has his land for this highway, service lane and underpass are the only way he can reach fields that now lie on both sides of the road,’ he added. Chaudhary, who represents the Mathura constituency, claimed that dedicated service lane had been constructed on only a 15 km stretch. He said the UP government was projecting the Highway as an achievement but had not worked to accommodate the concerns of the locals.
‘This Highway will not be able to run for long in its present form. There had been problems earlier. I know because this is my area. People of those villages have suffered a lot, their lands were taken, they were fired upon, farmers died.’ ‘Without hearing views of the locals, how is development possible? One-sided development is not possible. There is no doubt that you have pushed a button and claimed that this highway is now in use, but who will be responsible if there is an accident?’ he wondered.
The announcement in this regard was made by Sameer Gaur, Joint Managing Director of Jaypee Group, in a press conference in Greater Noida on Thursday.
There are three toll plazas on the expressway. The first plaza is in Jewar at 38 km, which allows one to travel for 48 km on the expressway. The second toll plaza is at 94 km in Mathura, which allows a passengers to travel 62 km if he enters the expressway in Jewar. The third toll plaza is at 150 km mile point near Agra.
‘The toll rates will be charged at all three plazas,’ said Gaur. The developer, Jaypee group, has an agreement of 36 years to realise their investment. According to officials of the group, it cost over Rs 12,000 crore, of which Rs 7,000 were loaned from different banks.
‘We will also introduce RAM toll plazas at the entry points maintained at the cuts on the express-way,’ said Gaur.
At present, a car will be charged Rs 320 per trip and Rs 510, if it makes a round trip on the same day or Rs 640 if it returns after 24 hours. ‘If a car makes 20 or more journeys in a calender month from Greater Noida to Agra it will be charged Rs 255,’ said Gaur.
A two-wheeler on the express-way will be charged Rs 150 from zero mile point to Agra and Rs 240 for round trip made within 24 hours. Buses and trucks will have to pay Rs 1,050 for one-way journey from Greater Noida to Agra on the expressway.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament and National Secretary of Samajwadi Party Ram Gopal Yadav praised the Yamuna Express-way for providing fast connectivity for western Uttar Pradesh with the National Capital and providing tourists an easy access to Taj Mahal. He, however, asked developers to complete service roads, make the fencing much higher, solve water logging problems in underpasses, make more underpasses if required and increase the facilities for commuters. Yadav inaugurated the express-way by cutting the ribbon and flagging off a cavalcade of officers.
Though expressway was opened for public at 4 pm on Thursday but some basic facilities related to security and safety are yet to be completed. Officials of the developer Jaypee Group also accepted these drawbacks but assured to rectify them at the earliest.
‘We have completed 28 km of the service lane and will complete the remaining soon. We will also start the construction of five 100-bed hospitals in Gautam Buddhar Nagar, Mathura and Agra within one-and-a- half months,’ said Gaur.
The demand for service lane on both sides of the expressway has been a bone of contention between farmers of the area and developers. The farmers protested several times in this regard. The officials, however, have refused to give them any concession on toll charges.
Also, the expressway passes through three districts-Gautam Buddh Nagar, Mathura and Agra- and several police stations.
Even then, the responsibility of security and traffic management lies with the local police stations. The developers have also given space for police pickets at toll plazas but the deployment of permanent police officers and traffic police officers has not been finalised yet.
‘We have sent a proposal to the government to create an exclusive force and traffic police system for the expressway, but till the plan finalises, we have to depend on local police stations,’ said Gaur.
When asked what will they do if somebody violates the traffic norms, he said, ‘We will stop him and inform the police.’ But how much the local police will be able to manage is a matter of concern. Another problem is that there is no bus stop or petrol filling facility on the expressway.
On the plus side, it is equipped with CCTV cameras, Video Incident Detection System (VIDS), Speed Cameras and Emergency Call Boxes (ECB). The ECBs are stationed at each two km on both sides of the expressway.
Further, weather and traffic warnings will also be displayed on screens. At each toll plaza, two security vehicles, two patrol vehicles, two ambulances, two cranes along with a medical centre will be on duty round-the-clock.
THUMBS UP
- It is equipped with CCTV cameras, Video Incident Detection System (VIDS), Speed Cameras and Emergency Call Boxes (ECB)
- ECBs are stationed at every two km on both sides of the expressway.
- Weather and traffic warnings will also be displayed on screens at each toll plaza.
- Two security vehicles, two patrol vehicles, two ambulances, two cranes along with a medical centre will be on duty round-the-clock.
THUMBS DOWN
- Responsibility of security and traffic management lies solely with local police stations.
- Deployment of permanent police officers and traffic police officers yet to be finalised.
- No bus stop or petrol filling facility on the expressway.
EXPRESSWAY HIGHLIGHTS
- Touted as India’s longest access-controlled concrete expressway.
- Provision to expand freeway to eight lanes, against current six lanes.
- Toll at three plazas with 16 gates on each side to make the process swift.
- Medical facilities like vans, stretchers, bed and medicines on call.
- Tie-up with two major hospitals, with air ambulances for emergencies.
- Fuel stations, ATMs, small shops and public convenience facilities soon.
- Talks with known brands for food courts along the expressway.
- Two-wheelers also allowed with a speed limit of 60 km per hour.
- Speed limit for heavy vehicles also fixed at 60 km per hour.
‘What about the farmers?’
RLD MP Jayant Chaudhary on Thursday alleged that service lanes and underpasses have not been built for locals and farmers on the 165 km-long Yamuna Expressway. ‘At a time when this road is being inaugurated, the farmers of the region are protesting. Their demand is that when this contract had been sanctioned, the concessionaire Jaypee was supposed to build service lane on both sides,’ Chaudhary said. ‘For a farmer who has his land for this highway, service lane and underpass are the only way he can reach fields that now lie on both sides of the road,’ he added. Chaudhary, who represents the Mathura constituency, claimed that dedicated service lane had been constructed on only a 15 km stretch. He said the UP government was projecting the Highway as an achievement but had not worked to accommodate the concerns of the locals.
‘This Highway will not be able to run for long in its present form. There had been problems earlier. I know because this is my area. People of those villages have suffered a lot, their lands were taken, they were fired upon, farmers died.’ ‘Without hearing views of the locals, how is development possible? One-sided development is not possible. There is no doubt that you have pushed a button and claimed that this highway is now in use, but who will be responsible if there is an accident?’ he wondered.
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