Prompted by the burden of increasing school bus fees and inflated cab fares due to high toll charges, a residents’ body in Gurgaon has approached the authorities seeking toll concessions and improved pass facilities for regular commuters on the Dwarka Expressway.

The Dwarka Expressway Gurugram Development Association (DXPGDA) submitted a formal request on June 11 to the Indian Highways Management Company Limited (IHMCL) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The letter was addressed to Vishal Chauhan, CMD of IHMCL, with a copy marked to Akash Padhi, NHAI Project Director for the Dwarka Expressway.

The association has requested concessions specifically for registered school buses and electric passenger vehicles, including e-taxis, operating within the National Capital Region (NCR).

“What prompted the letter was the fact that schools have had to pass on the increased transport costs to us, and also that the toll amount is often way more than half of the total fare, especially for short journeys. Due to the steep toll fee, even relatives and friends have reduced visiting us,” Sunil Sareen, deputy convenor of the association, told The Indian Express.

The DXPGDA stated that these measures would reduce operating costs, encourage shared mobility, and directly benefit thousands of daily commuters and school-going children.

Request for quarterly and annual recharge options

The association also urged the NHAI to introduce quarterly and annual recharge options for local commuter passes at the Bijwasan Toll Plaza. The memorandum highlighted that offering longer-duration subscriptions, along with suitable discounts, would reduce the inconvenience of frequent renewals and encourage greater adoption of local passes.

To further streamline pass management, the DXPGDA also pressed for an upgraded, user-friendly digital facility on the NHAI website and mobile application, so they can check their recharge history and detailed toll usage, track the number of trips used and remaining eligibility, and receive alerts regarding low balances and impending pass expiry.

The residents’ body highlighted that the Dwarka Expressway has emerged as a crucial urban transport corridor connecting Delhi and Gurgaon. Implementing these initiatives, the association noted, would significantly improve commuter convenience, promote the use of public and green transport, and build public confidence in the national highway tolling system.

An NHAI officer said the matter would be examined and that any final decision has to be taken at the headquarters level.

Current toll rates

The toll rate at the Bijwasan plaza on the Dwarka Expressway for private cars and ordinary vehicles for a single trip costs Rs 225, while a return journey is priced at Rs 340. The monthly pass for 50 trips is Rs 7,550, and the concessional pass for residents within a 20-kilometer radius is now Rs 350.

Commercial cabs face steeper rates, with a single crossing at Rs 365, a return fare of Rs 550, and a 50-trip monthly pass at Rs 12,195. For buses and trucks, the toll is Rs 765 for a single journey and Rs 1,150 for a return trip.

The association had earlier written to the chief ministers of Delhi and Haryana, and other authorities, requesting public transport connectivity for the area, with residents currently dependent heavily on private vehicles and cabs.