Commuters hit by high tolls on Indore routes:Poor roads, delays and incomplete work add to daily travel woes

Daily commuters travelling between Indore, Dhar, and Dewas are burdened with hefty toll charges, while many also feel misled in the case of Ujjain Road. When construction on Ujjain Road began, authorities had assured that no toll would be collected until the project was completed. Later, it was announced that the toll for cars and jeeps (₹35) would be reduced by up to 75%, raising expectations of at least a ₹20 cut. However, the toll operator reduced the fee by only ₹5, leaving commuters dissatisfied. Adding to the frustration, traffic jams are frequent on Ujjain Road. Several stretches remain incomplete, potholes have developed, and proper diversion arrangements are missing. Despite these issues, toll collection continues uninterrupted. The condition of Dewas Road is reportedly even worse. On the bypass, commuters are charged ₹100 in toll despite Dewas being just 35 km away. The infrastructure and services provided fall far short of the charges levied. Ongoing construction work—including flyovers, underpasses, and six-lane expansion—has further deteriorated road conditions. Heavy congestion is a daily occurrence at key junctions such as Bicholi Bogda, Kanadia Bogda, and the MR-10 intersection, compounding the difficulties faced by commuters. ₹250 toll for travel between Indore and Dhar For travelling to Dhar, which is only 60 km from Indore, car drivers have to pay ₹170. This comes to roughly ₹3 per kilometre. This is for one side; for the return journey, an additional ₹80 has to be paid. This means for a 120 km round trip, the toll tax comes to ₹250. Road to be ready soon According to Gagan Bhabhar, Divisional Manager, MPRDC, We have reduced toll on the Indore–Ujjain Road. Compared to earlier, only 70% of the toll is being charged. About 65% of the highway work has been completed. People’s problems will be resolved soon, and the new road will be ready by October this year. Toll cannot be reduced Speaking about the reduction in the toll, Praveen Yadav, Project Director, NHAI said, There is no provision to reduce or cut toll charges. The work being carried out on the Indore–Dewas bypass and Indore–Ahmedabad Road is being done as per public needs. Condition of toll projects On the Indore bypass, road digging is visible at several places due to flyover construction at MR-10 junction and Ralamandal. Work on one arm of the Ralamandal flyover is complete, while construction is ongoing on the other side. The Arjun Baroda flyover between Indore and Dewas has been under construction for the past three years and is in poor condition. During the monsoon, traffic jams lasting up to eight hours were reported here. Even now, several stretches of the road remain in bad shape. On the Indore–Ujjain Road, some stretches have completed lane construction, while in others, traffic is being diverted onto service roads. On Mondays and holidays, as traffic towards Ujjain increases, long jams are common.