Calcutta: Two-wheelers have been exempted from paying toll at Vidyasagar Setu from October 1 to ease traffic congestion on that stretch, chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced at Nabanna on Thursday.
Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners (HRBC), the custodian of Vidyasagar Setu, is estimated to collect around Rs 5 crore annually as toll from two-wheelers crossing the bridge either way.
Snarls are common at the congested toll plaza, as are accidents triggered by heavy goods vehicles trying to beat others to the counters.
According to the chief minister, allowing two-wheelers to pass without stopping at the toll plaza would help clear the bottleneck. "The HRBC will not levy toll on motorbikes starting October 1. The decision was taken to avoid long queues at the toll plaza and ensure a smooth ride for motorbike riders on Vidyasagar Setu," she said.
A senior official at Nabanna, the state secretariat, termed the financial impact of withdrawing the toll "meagre" compared to the benefit. "A token amount of Rs 5 is collected from motorbikes . The amount is meagre but since motorbike riders have to queue up for long periods to pay the toll, it sometimes creates trouble. Many people start shouting at the toll plaza employees," he said.
The majority of motorbike riders who travel through Vidyasagar Setu are residents of Howrah.
"The government thought of ending their regular harassment of waiting in long queues. There will be a dedicated lane for motorbike riders to pass the toll plaza smoothly. Since no other vehicle will be allowed on that lane, motorbike riders will have a smooth ride through Vidyasagar Setu," the official said.