Pay 'User Fee' while passing through Solapur-Dhule NH-52

Lokmat News Network

Rafique Aziz

Aurangabad, Nov 19:

If the sources are to be believed, the passenger and commercial vehicles taking the Solapur-Dhule National Highway-52 (erstwhile NH-211) will have to pay 'User Fee' (toll), as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) will commence

the functioning of its newly established 'Fee Plaza' at Karodi from December (next month).

According to highly placed sources, " The works are underway on war-footing and probably the functioning of Fee Plaza at Karodi would start from the first or second week of December 2021. NHAI Headquarters (New Delhi) will opt for due procedures to shortlist a competent agency to collect 'User Fee' by the end of November. NH-52 is presently four-lane and the fee will be collected from all types of vehicles. The base value for the bidding agency is Rs 42.14 crore,

but the tender will be allotted to the highest bidder. The NHAI's project implementation unit (PIU, Aurangabad) has set up the Fee Plaza. Meanwhile, the section of road stretched between Aurangabad and Karodi (290.200 km to 320.104 km) on the highway is nearing completion."

" The contract to construct Aurangabad-Karodi section on NH 52 was awarded to L&T (for Rs 513 crore) in February 2018. It was developed on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) Model. The project involved the

construction of a four-lane dual carriageway of length 30.21 km with flexible pavement, 28.83 km of service, slip roads and other structures like major bridges and flyovers, apart from eight vehicular underpasses and one cattle underpass.

Presently, the works relating to the embankment of bridges near A.S Club and SRPF Battalion are nearing completion, while all other works are completed. The NH 52 project including the road and fee plaza is supervised by NHAI's project

director Arvind Kale and NHAI manager (technical) Mahesh Patil. The opening of the highway will help prevent accidents on the existing highway that passes through the city. Presently, the heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) ply at regular intervals and cause traffic congestion on this road," explained the sources.

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NH-52 to ease the traffic burden

NHAI project director Arvind Kale said, "The length of section (road) from Aurangabad to Karodi is 30 km. It would take a fortnight or more to get road motorable for the vehicles. I am very hopeful that the NH-52

will help ease the traffic burden on Beed Bypass road. The diversion of traffic towards the highway will be from a distance of 2-3 km away from Jhalta Phata (Yedshi-Aurangabad section). The stretch of NH-52, will act as a bypass and

reduce heavy traffic coming into Aurangabad city."

When inquired about the appointment of the User Fee collection agency at Karodi Fee Plaza, the project director underlined," We are an executing authority. The details about appointing agency are looked after by our head office in New Delhi."

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Total length of Solapur-Dhule NH 52 - 452 km

Length of road under NHAI (Aurangabad) - 290 km

Completed four-lane (Phase I) - 190 km - Yedshi-Aurangabad

Completed four-lane (Phase II) - 55 km - Karodi-Telwadi (Chalisgaon Ghat)

Completed four-lane (Phase III) - 30 km - Aurangabad-Karodi

Next Fee Plaza - Hatnoor (Kannad)

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Features of Fee Plaza - Karodi

- 16 booths (lanes) for vehicles

- Advanced Computers

- RFID readers for FastTag

- CCTV surveillance

- Ambulance

- Crane Service

- Toilets

- Bathrooms