Jammu Tawi, Jan 26: In a smart move, the union government has shut Thandikhui Toll Plaza on Jammu- Pathankot National Highway while shifted the burden by increasing the toll tariff at Lakhankur in Kathua and Bann Toll Plaza in Jammu.
“The influence length previously covered by Thandikhui has been redistributed among the existing Lakhanpur and Bann Toll Plazas, thereby eliminating the need of Thandikhui Toll Plaza, in public interest,” said an official notification issued by Y P S Jadon, Project Director, National Highways Authority of India.
This decision comes following the issuance of Gazette Notification S.O.302 (E) by the central government on January 19, 2024.
“As of 8 am on January 26, toll collection at Thandikhui ceases, while toll adjustments have been made at Ban and Lakhanpur toll plazas,” the notifications reads. “This decision is a strategic move by NHAI to address the concerns surrounding the Thandikhui toll plaza and enhance the travel experience for commuters between Jammu, Samba, and Kathua.”
With the change, the NHAI has increased the toll fee at Lakhanpur and Bann Toll Plazas and the revised user fee rates will come into effect from the morning of Friday, January 26.
At Lakhanpur toll plaza, the Light Motor Vehicles will now have to pay Rs 130 for single journey and Rs 195 for return journey, while the rate was Rs 100 and Rs 155 for single and return journey respectively till yesterday.
Similarly, Light Commercial Vehicles, Light Goods Carrier and Mini Buses will have to pay Rs 210 and Rs 315, which were earlier Rs 165 and Rs 250 for the same. The buses and trucks with 2 axles will have to shell out Rs 435 and Rs 655, for single and return journeys, respectively which was earlier Rs 345 and Rs 520, for single and return journeys, respectively. The three-axle commercial vehicles will now pay Rs 475 and Rs 715; the four-axle commercial vehicles including HCM, EME and MAV will shell out Rs 685 and Rs 1030; whereas the oversized vehicles (7 or more axle) would pay Rs 835 and 1250, for single and return journey, respectively. Till yesterday, rates for above category vehicles were Rs 375 and Rs 585; Rs 540 and Rs 815, Rs 660 and 990, for single and return journeys, respectively.
Similarly, toll fee also hiked at Bann toll plaza. The Light Motor Vehicles will now have to pay Rs 170 for single journey and Rs 255 for return journey with a nominal hike of raning 5-10 rupees at Bann Toll Plaza. Earlier, people have to pay Rs 165 for single journey and Rs 245 for return journey at Bann toll plaza. The Light Commercial Vehicles, Light Goods Carrier and Mini Buses will have to pay Rs 275 and Rs 410, and the buses and trucks with 2 axles will have to shell out Rs 570 and Rs 855, for single and return journey, respectively. Earlier Light Commercial Vehicles, Light Goods Carrier and Mini Buses were paying Rs 265 and Rs 400, and the buses and trucks with 2 axles were paying Rs 555 and Rs 835, for single and return journey, respectively,
The three-axle commercial vehicles will now pay Rs 620 and Rs 935; the four-axle commercial vehicles including HCM, EME and MAV will shell out Rs 895 and Rs 1340; whereas the oversized vehicles (7 or more axle) would pay Rs 1090 and 1635, for single and return journey, respectively.
Earlier, three-axle commercial vehicles were paying Rs 605 and Rs 910; the four-axle commercial vehicles including HCM, EME and MAV were paying Rs 875 and Rs 1310; whereas the oversized vehicles (7 or more axle) were paying Rs 1065 and 1595, for single and return journey, respectively.
Situated at Sarore in Samba district on the National Highway 44, the toll plaza at Thandikhui has been a bone of contention for people travelling daily between Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts.
It also saw violent protests by people following the damage of a section of highway in the monsoon last year.
With the issue snowballing into a controversy after the police took into custody members of the Yuva Rajput Sabha who held a sit-in near the Thandikhui toll plaza last year, local BJP leaders had met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and sought that the toll plaza be closed given the poor condition of national highway between Jammu to Kathua due to ongoing work on the construction of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.
