Staff Reporter
Guwahati: Whether a National Highway (NH) in the state is completed or not, people cannot escape paying toll tax. Two new toll gates have become operational this month, taking the total number of toll gates in the state to 12.
Meanwhile, the state government is mulling setting up a toll gate on the soon-to-be-inaugurated Brahmaputra bridge connecting Guwahati and North Guwahati.
On January 13, a newly set up toll gate became operational in Rangamati in the Golaghat district. Local people are already expressing resentment over the new toll gate. They have also protested this action and demanded exemptions for certain types of vehicles.
Starting today, a new toll gate has become operational at Sulung, located on the NH stretch between Kaliabor Tiniali on the south bank of the Brahmaputra and Tezpur on the north bank. Any person travelling to Tezpur from Guwahati will now have to pay user fees at 3 toll gates - at Nazirakhat near Sonapur, Raha in the Nagaon district and the new toll gate at Sulung.
According to the bid notice issued by NHAI earlier, each of the cars, jeeps, vans or light motor vehicles has to pay Rs 130 for a one-way trip and Rs 190 for the return trip the same day at Sulung. Each light commercial vehicle, light goods vehicle or minibus has to pay Rs 205 for a one-way trip and Rs 310 for the return trip the same day.
Each of the buses and trucks (up to two axles) has to pay Rs 475 for a one-way trip and Rs 650 for the return trip the same day. Each of the buses and trucks (two axles) has to pay Rs 475 for a one-way trip and Rs 710 for the return trip the same day, etc., at Sulung.
Significantly, the Guwahati-North Guwahati bridge over the Brahmaputra is supposed to be opened for traffic on February 14.
Assam PWRD (EAP) today invited bids for the construction of a toll plaza for the extra-dosed bridge connecting Guwahati-North Guwahati over the Brahmaputra River under SOPD-G for 2025-26 on EPC mode. The estimated value of the work is around Rs 6.11 crore. The time set for completion of its construction is 3 months.
People travelling over the bridge better get ready to shell out the user fees to be levied, once the toll gate for the bridge is set up and becomes operational. The user fees will for different kinds of vehicles will be known at that time.
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