With number of commuters growing since the four-phase Delhi Meerut Expressway (DME) opened fully for traffic on April 1, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has now connected it with the Eastern Peripheral Expressway (EPE) through an interchange.
The interchange is located about 3kms away from Dasna at Rasoolpur Sikrod.
“Commuters can now travel easily to Baghpat or to Gautam Budh Nagar via the EPE. They will be charged a toll through the reading of their FASTag (an electronic toll collection system) at the entry and exit points of the EPE,” said Mudit Garg, project director from NHAI.
According to official figures, the DME, which links Delhi to Meerut under 60 kms, has recorded one-side traffic of about 30,000 passenger car units (PCU, which is a unit to measure traffic depending on the type of vehicle) daily. So far, the interchange was blocked as the tolling for DME is yet to take off pending approval of the rates by the Union ministry of road transport and highways.
Different operators manage the tolling systems for DME and EPE.
“Once tolling starts at DME, the toll calculation will be between entry and exit points. In case a commuter uses the interchange, the toll will be so calculated as to pay the toll operator depending on the toll rates of each expressway,” Garg said.
In February, the central government had mandated every vehicle to carry a FASTag.
If any commuter opted to pay via cash, they would be charged double the toll rate for the entire DME stretch, said Garg.
Officials said that the toll for DME is expected to be in range of ₹1.55 to ₹2.15 per kilometre.
