If you commute between Gurgaon and Delhi on the NH-8, you would know what it feels like to be stuck at the toll gates. During peak hours, the heat index of the toll plaza on the Delhi-Gurgaon border is at its peak. Waiting times go up to intolerable levels. Even patient men (and women) turn rude and intolerant. There is no respect for tag only lanes.
For the uninitiated, tags are prepaid passes that you can purchase in advance and drive through the toll gate by scanning the card or using the “Smart Tag” that get affixed to your vehicle and is read wirelessly by sensors on the gate. Every time you use the toll plaza, the pre-paid amount on your card gets deducted. No more giving the attendant 500 Rupee notes and fretting and fuming while he counts out the change.
There have been many suggestions that the concessionaire - Delhi Gurgaon Super Connectivity Limited (DGSCL) is the culprit for all that that ails the toll plaza. Though there are a few things that the company could improve that come to my mind, I don’t believe the company is completely at fault for all that ails this stretch of road. The fault lies with DGSCL, the concerned governmental bodies and organisations and users of the expressway.
The Company’s Fault
I have one question for DGSCL. First you take the money in advance from and then want it to be spent in a fixed amount of time. That is completely unacceptable. It is not surprising that most users of the expressway have not opted for tags.
If like the Delhi Metro, DGSCL would also make their cards never expire, people would have a greater incentive to purchase these and pay for them in advance. They would have the flexibility to use the cards as and when they pass through the toll gates without counting every day and rueing the wastage of money because they took a couple of days off that month.
There are options where the tag’s validity is one year - but why have any limit on the usage at all? You have been paid the money in advance. Let the money be used over any period of time.
Have pre-paid cards but add post-paid options as well. Make the tariff structure simpler. One flat rate for every pass at each of the toll plazas. Push the Government to make it happen. Your customers will appreciate it.
Penalty and enforcement
Our Governments are spineless. They cannot enforce a fine on people who insist on paying cash on the tag only gates.
Enforce a fine for people entering tag only lanes without tags. The penalty should be equal to two trips for 30 days for that class of vehicle. The violator should get a tag in return for the fine. Make the tags readily available at all the tag only toll gates. No delays. No running from window to window. Make it really simple and quick. Take help from the local police to implement and enforce this rule. Advertise the penalty prominently. This step will slowly increase the number of people with tags and over a small period of time, people will stay away from the tag lanes. This will make the tag lanes quicker to navigate. People in cash lanes will see the shorter lanes and the quicker clearance times and will be incentivised to purchase tags.
Worst Offenders
The worst offenders are users of the highway. I have already written about how users do not respect the tag only lanes. There should be strict penalties for getting into tag lanes without tags. Penalise by making tag purchase compulsory every time someone gets into tag lanes without tags.
State transport buses and taxi cabs should not be allowed without tags. All radio taxis are run by some form of corporate entity. They should all be forced as part of their contracts to purchase tags for the vehicles and use the tag lanes.
There are some who cannot wait for their turn to get past the toll. They prefer to force their way into existing queues. This behaviour should be heavily penalised. Marshalls must be equipped with technology and be empowered and supported with security to stop such elements.
The bottom line is that if users were to cultivate a little bit of common sense, navigating this and other toll plazas will be an easier and less stressful task.
Cheers
For the uninitiated, tags are prepaid passes that you can purchase in advance and drive through the toll gate by scanning the card or using the “Smart Tag” that get affixed to your vehicle and is read wirelessly by sensors on the gate. Every time you use the toll plaza, the pre-paid amount on your card gets deducted. No more giving the attendant 500 Rupee notes and fretting and fuming while he counts out the change.
There have been many suggestions that the concessionaire - Delhi Gurgaon Super Connectivity Limited (DGSCL) is the culprit for all that that ails the toll plaza. Though there are a few things that the company could improve that come to my mind, I don’t believe the company is completely at fault for all that ails this stretch of road. The fault lies with DGSCL, the concerned governmental bodies and organisations and users of the expressway.
The Company’s Fault
I have one question for DGSCL. First you take the money in advance from and then want it to be spent in a fixed amount of time. That is completely unacceptable. It is not surprising that most users of the expressway have not opted for tags.
If like the Delhi Metro, DGSCL would also make their cards never expire, people would have a greater incentive to purchase these and pay for them in advance. They would have the flexibility to use the cards as and when they pass through the toll gates without counting every day and rueing the wastage of money because they took a couple of days off that month.
There are options where the tag’s validity is one year - but why have any limit on the usage at all? You have been paid the money in advance. Let the money be used over any period of time.
Have pre-paid cards but add post-paid options as well. Make the tariff structure simpler. One flat rate for every pass at each of the toll plazas. Push the Government to make it happen. Your customers will appreciate it.
Penalty and enforcement
Our Governments are spineless. They cannot enforce a fine on people who insist on paying cash on the tag only gates.
Enforce a fine for people entering tag only lanes without tags. The penalty should be equal to two trips for 30 days for that class of vehicle. The violator should get a tag in return for the fine. Make the tags readily available at all the tag only toll gates. No delays. No running from window to window. Make it really simple and quick. Take help from the local police to implement and enforce this rule. Advertise the penalty prominently. This step will slowly increase the number of people with tags and over a small period of time, people will stay away from the tag lanes. This will make the tag lanes quicker to navigate. People in cash lanes will see the shorter lanes and the quicker clearance times and will be incentivised to purchase tags.
Worst Offenders
The worst offenders are users of the highway. I have already written about how users do not respect the tag only lanes. There should be strict penalties for getting into tag lanes without tags. Penalise by making tag purchase compulsory every time someone gets into tag lanes without tags.
State transport buses and taxi cabs should not be allowed without tags. All radio taxis are run by some form of corporate entity. They should all be forced as part of their contracts to purchase tags for the vehicles and use the tag lanes.
There are some who cannot wait for their turn to get past the toll. They prefer to force their way into existing queues. This behaviour should be heavily penalised. Marshalls must be equipped with technology and be empowered and supported with security to stop such elements.
The bottom line is that if users were to cultivate a little bit of common sense, navigating this and other toll plazas will be an easier and less stressful task.
Cheers
