The Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) will start collection of toll tax on Purvanchal Expressway from Sunday.
UPEIDA Chief Executive Officer Awanish Awasthi said that it had been decided to impose toll tax on Purvanchal Expressway from May 1. The special thing is that the toll rates of Purvanchal Expressway have also been fixed similar to Agra-Lucknow Expressway. The toll collecting company will give Rs 222 crore every year to the UP government. The UP cabinet had recently approved a proposal to levy toll tax on Purvanchal Expressway.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated this expressway on November 16 last year. Till now the drivers were enjoying free travel on Purvanchal Expressway but now they will have to pay toll tax at the rate of Rs 2.15 per kilometre on the lines of Agra-Lucknow Expressway.
The length of the Purvanchal Expressway between Lucknow and Ghazipur is 340 km. Thus, Rs 731 will be charged as toll tax for journey from Lucknow to Ghazipur.
The UPEIDA has spent Rs 11,216 crore on the construction of Purvanchal Expressway. This expressway has been developed in eight packages. Twenty-two flyovers, seven railways over bridges, seven major bridges, and 114 minor bridges have been built on this expressway. Apart from this, the expressway has 45 vehicle underpasses, 139 small vehicle underpasses, 87 pedestrian underpasses and 525 box culverts.