Since the video went viral in Bengaluru, there have been plenty of online debates in India over toll collection policies on our roads. The footage shows a two-wheeler operator who looks as though he is riding a cycle, stopping at a toll booth and paying ₹25 to make a single journey.
Toll personnel appear to be collecting the fee, which quickly became a public relations hot potato. It was in a busy thoroughfare in Bengaluru, one of India’s fastest growing metropolitan centers. What has shocked numerous observers in this way, however, is how most cyclists and two-wheeler riders are exempt from tolls on nearly all National Highways in India.
In a viral video that’s sparking massive outrage, a two-wheeler rider (appearing on a cycle) is seen stopping at a toll booth on Bengaluru’s and handing over cash. Staff can be clearly seen collecting the fee reportedly ₹25 for single journey on this stretch.
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But for one stretch there still must be paid by the rider, raising doubts about consistency and enforcement of policy. And when the video spread widely online it ignited a debate regarding the fairness of toll systems, especially for privatized infrastructure. There were disputes among users whether it was fair to charge minor and vulnerable road users, and some argue that the rules on tolls are determined by particular kinds of road authorities and concession agreements.
Opponents say taxing cyclists and two-wheelers adds a financial burden to commuters on the roads not to mention, from low-income urban dwellers who pay for their mode of transportation and have to absorb the cost of them as well as people who are already over-taxed cyclists and two-wheelers. Bicycles, they say, also cause very little wear and tear on the infrastructure on the road. Many, or a majority of drivers with minimal mobility and other modes of motor vehicle usage would however be finding the imposition of a toll untenable in these areas.
Others, however, argue that toll policies are influenced by several different factors including how roads are categorized and maintained and private operators will charge fees to suit the approved frameworks. This resulted in calls for tougher rules and transparency around things like toll-charging across the classes of vehicles.
The viral clip has once more focused on an increasingly critical issue of urban mobility and affordability in Indian cities like Bengaluru, which continues to grapple with the rapid development of road infrastructure and the implications of that for inclusivity and equity.
Meanwhile, citizens and activists are appealing to the authorities to reconsider toll policies that do not disproportionately impact regular commuters. It’s unclear how this fallout leads to policy clarification, or even policy reform, however, it has clearly reignited an incredibly critical conversation about road usage rights in India.
