Reliance Infrastructure starts collecting toll from 10th road project

NEW DELHI: Reliance Infrastructure ( RInfra) today said it has started collecting toll from its 10th road project, a 63-km stretch connecting between Trichy and Karur in Chennai on NH-67.

RInfra had got the order from National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for doubling the stretch into a four-lane one, operating and maintaining the project for 30 years from the date of signing of the contract.

"Built at a cost of Rs 732 crore, the two-four laning of 63 km of Trichy-Karur road has been completed and toll collection started," RInfra said in a statement.

The project, executed on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis under the aegis of National Highways Authority of India, is a section of NH-67 that connects Coimbatore to Trichy, Kumbakonam, Tanjavur and Nagapatinnam, it said.

"The road connects major tourist destinations such as Srirangam, Samayapuram, Kallanai, Mukkombu and also industrial zones. The corridor also connects more than 44 villages with important cities like Coimbatore and Bengaluru," it said.

RInfra's CEO (Roads) Sudhir R Hoshing said the corridor would witness approximately 15,000 vehicles per day which was expected to double in the next four years.

"With the opening of TK corridor, now we have all of our six road projects worth Rs 4,000 crore in Tamil Nadu operational," he said.

RInfra said the average speed of vehicles plying on the road would now double to around 70 km/hr, thereby reducing the travel time by up to 30 per cent and saving fuel cost by the same level.

Keeping the traffic density in mind, ten and six lane toll plazas have been constructed on the road, the company said, adding that automated Toll Systems have been installed at each toll plaza to further educe the stoppage time.

RInfra already operates five road projects in Tamil Nadu - Nammakal to Karur; Dindigul to Samayanallur; Trichy to Dindigul; Salem to Ulundurpet and Hosur to Krishnagiri.