Dwarka Expressway Residents Demand Toll Relief for School Buses and E-Cabs
On June 11, the Dwarka Expressway Gurugram Development Association (DXPGDA) submitted a formal request to highway authorities seeking toll concessions for registered school buses and electric passenger vehicles, including e-taxis, along the Dwarka Expressway in Gurugram. The residents' body approached the Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to address the mounting financial burden of high toll charges on daily commuters.
The association's letter was addressed to Vishal Chauhan, CMD of IHMCL, with a copy marked to Akash Padhi, NHAI Project Director for the Dwarka Expressway. Residents noted that the steep toll rates at the Bijwasan Toll Plaza—where a single trip for private cars costs Rs 225 and a return journey costs Rs 340—have significantly inflated transportation costs.
Sunil Sareen, deputy convenor of the DXPGDA, explained that schools have had to pass increased transport costs onto parents, while cab fares have also surged. He added that the toll amount often exceeds half of the total fare for short journeys, and the high fees have even deterred relatives and friends from visiting residents in the area.
In addition to concessions for school buses and e-cabs, the association urged the NHAI to introduce quarterly and annual recharge options for local commuter passes at the Bijwasan Toll Plaza. Currently, frequent renewals cause inconvenience to regular commuters. The DXPGDA also requested an upgraded, user-friendly digital facility on the NHAI website and mobile application to help users track their recharge history, toll usage, and remaining trips.
The association highlighted that the Dwarka Expressway has become a vital urban transport corridor connecting Delhi and Gurugram, and implementing these changes would promote public and green transport. An NHAI officer stated that the matter would be examined and that any final decision must be taken at the headquarters level.
