Bengaluru airport road toll records ₹308 crore revenue; Mohandas Pai questions 'unfair' charges

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, had confirmed the toll plaza’s ₹308 crore revenue for 2023-24, highlighting its role in Karnataka’s infrastructure.

The Devanahalli toll plaza near Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) recorded a revenue of ₹308 crore in the financial year 2023-24, making it Karnataka’s highest-earning toll plaza.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai(Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint)

According to an Indian Express report, the plaza has generated a total of ₹1,577 crore over the past decade, driven by its prime location on NH 44, the main highway linking Bengaluru to KIA, India’s third-busiest airport.

In 2023-24, KIA witnessed record-breaking passenger and cargo traffic, handling 37.53 million passengers and over 439,000 metric tonnes of cargo. This surge played a significant role in the toll plaza’s earnings. Additionally, NH 44 serves as a vital corridor for commercial vehicles traveling between Karnataka and neighboring states, ensuring a consistent flow of traffic and revenue.

However, the high toll charges have drawn criticism from prominent voices, including former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai. Taking to X, Pai questioned the necessity of toll collection on the airport route.

“No airport in India has a toll road before it. Why this discrimination against Bengaluru? Toll should be for the Bellary Road after the airport,” Pai stated, tagging Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.

He further added, “Very high charges, and the only toll road to an airport, this needs to be abolished.”

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, in response to a Rajya Sabha query, had confirmed the toll plaza’s ₹308 crore revenue for 2023-24, highlighting its role in Karnataka’s infrastructure. Yet, Pai’s remarks underscore the growing debate on the fairness and necessity of toll charges on a key access route to one of India’s busiest airports.

Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway toll revenue

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, which connects the two cities in just 90 minutes, has seen a sharp rise in toll revenue since its upgrade to a six-lane corridor. Combined collections from the Kaniminike and Sheshagirihalli toll plazas on this route totaled ₹180 crore in 2023-24. The Kaniminike plaza generated ₹91 crore, while Sheshagirihalli brought in ₹77 crore, the report added.