Way cleared for removing snarl-causing Delhi-Gurgaon toll plaza

The 32-lane Sirhaul toll plaza on the Delhi-Gurgaon expressway, held responsible for causing regular and massive traffic snarls, is likely to be removed soon as Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC), the main banker of the expressway, has agreed to its removal.

The IDFC on Monday submitted an affidavit before Delhi High Court requesting the removal of the toll plaza, in which the lender has laid out the blueprint for the removal of the toll plaza.

IDFC representatives also told a court bench that it is hopeful that all other parties - Delhi Gurgaon Super connectivity Ltd (DGSCL) and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) - will reach a consensus within a week.

After the out-of-court settlement between DGSCL and IDFC, the two had agreed on the removal of highly-congested Sirhaul toll plaza.

The representatives of concessionaire Delhi Gurgaon Super connectivity Ltd (DGSCL) and NHAI, who were also present in the court, said they would study the proposal and revert to the court in the next hearing on 3 February.

The court was also informed that the shifting of Kherki Daula toll plaza to Bilashpur was not acceptable. The proposal filed on behalf of IDFC vice president Aditya Bhardwaj stated that the senior lenders' proposal of construction of toll plaza and tolling at 61km was considered and referred to the government but deemed unacceptable.

The NHAI has already decided that toll collection should be allowed at a single toll plaza at Kherki Daula.