The toll plaza at Somanahalli on the Bengaluru-Kanakapura stretch of national highway 209.
| Photo Credit: K. Bhagya Prakash
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) began collecting toll on the Bengaluru-Kanakapura road from Friday (May 9, 2025), even as the service road construction remains incomplete, catching commuters and local residents off guard.
According to the toll rates at the collection point near Somanahalli on the Bengaluru-Kanakapura stretch of the national highway 209, it is ₹85 for cars, jeeps, and similar light motor vehicles for a single journey and ₹130 for a return trip. Light commercial vehicles and mini-buses must pay ₹140 for one-way and ₹205 for a round trip. For lorries and larger buses, the charge stands at ₹290 and ₹435, respectively.
Three-axle vehicles are required to pay ₹315 for one direction and ₹475 for the return trip. Vehicles with four to six axles will be charged ₹455 one-way and ₹680 for the return trip, while those with seven or more axles will need to shell out ₹555 for one-way travel and ₹830 for the return trip.
Key stretch
The NHAI is upgrading the NH 209 corridor, an important stretch connecting Bengaluru to Dindigul in Tamil Nadu, into a double-lane road. The project, which passes through Kanakapura, Malavalli, Kollegal, Chamarajanagar, and Punjur, is far from complete, especially in areas close to Bengaluru’s southern outskirts.
Residents in villages such as Kaggalipura, Somanahalli, Tharalu, and Nelaguli, situated close to the new toll plaza, have voiced their objections to the NHAI’s decision. Locals have urged the authority to construct a 6-km service road on either side of the toll gate to connect Bengaluru and Kanakapura, so that they can bypass the toll and continue daily travel without paying the toll.
They have also stressed the importance of completing the four-laning of the highway, which has been progressing in phases.
Pruthviraj K., a resident who travelled along the route on Friday, was surprised to see the toll collection. “It is not justifiable to demand money when basic infrastructure like service roads isn’t ready. The NHAI should either provide a free pass to local motorists or expedite the service road construction within a 6-km stretch on both sides of the toll plaza. Daily commuters like us are being unfairly penalised,” he said.
Improve existing road
Meanwhile, residents are calling for improvements to the road connecting Gandhinagar to Kaggalipura. Their demands include proper drainage systems, footpaths, and pedestrian safety infrastructure before any toll collection can be considered valid.
Prashanth Hosadurga, a member of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, accused the NHAI of bypassing public consultation. “The toll was imposed without informing us. Local commercial and non-commercial vehicles operating within a 20-km radius should be exempted from these charges,” he said.
Alternative road
Many motorists have been using the Kanakapura–Malavalli route as an alternative to the Bengaluru–Mysuru access-controlled highway, where tolls are collected. With both corridors now tolled, commuters feel cornered.
Srikanth R., a frequent commuter from J.P. Nagar to Mysuru, said, “We switched to the Kanakapura road to avoid the heavy toll and unpredictable traffic, especially on weekends, on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. Now this road is also tolled, and worse, there’s no proper alternative or even a finished service road. It’s like being forced to pay for a half-finished product. Infrastructure should come before tolls, not the other way around.”
The Hindu tried to contact NHAI officials, but received no response.
Published – May 11, 2025 07:03 am IST
