‘Abolish toll on Bengaluru airport road’: Pai, Mazumdar-Shaw; the call gets louder
The toll plaza on NH 44 just before the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on the outskirts of Bengaluru, in Devanahalli, generated Rs 1,577 crore in revenue over the past decade
After former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai called for abolishing the toll plaza near the Bengaluru international airport near Devanahalli, Biocon Ltd executive chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, and more voices have joined in.
According to reports, the toll plaza on National Highway 44 just before the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) on the outskirts of Bengaluru, in Devanahalli, generated Rs 1,577 crore in revenue over the past decade.
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A single trip journey for cars from Bengaluru to KIA is Rs 115 while it is Rs 170 for the return trip within 24 hours.
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari informed the Rajya Sabha that the Devanahalli toll plaza collected Rs 308 crore in revenue during the financial year 2023-24.
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On his X (formerly Twitter) account, Pai said the toll collection near the Bengaluru airport needs to be abolished.
“Karnataka's highest revenue toll plaza: Devanahalli toll plaza Bengaluru International Airport collects record Rs308 crFY24 -Very high charges, only Toll road to airport, needs to be abolished (sic),” he wrote.
When a user said Gadkari wants everybody to pay toll if they want quality roads, Pai, responded tagging Gadkari, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, “Rubbish. No airport in India has a toll road before it. Why this discrimination against Bengaluru. Toll should be for the bellary road after airport (sic).”
Pai’s demand received support from Mazumdar-Shaw and many others online.
“A justified demand to remove toll plaza at #Devanahalli before entering Bengaluru airport. Agree with @TVMohandasPai, Bengaluru must be brought at par with other cities,” she wrote on X.
The Bengaluru international airport is located about 35 kilometres away from the city, in Devanahalli. The NH 44 which has the toll plaza near the airport, is a major highway connecting Bengaluru to Hyderabad and other cities, as it passes next to the airport.
