Ladhowal toll plaza on the Jalandhar-Panipat national highway-44, where operations resumed on Wednesday, followed by closure amid farmers' protest, is the seventh-highest toll collector in the country. As per the official data shared by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, in the last fiscal year (2023-24), the toll plaza collected nearly ₹300 crore.
Situated in Ludhiana, the toll plaza has been a focal point of contention due to its high user charges, with over 80,000 vehicles passing daily.
A recent 5% hike in toll rates, effective from June 3, sparked massive protests by the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Union (BKMU), leading to its forced closure on June 16. The district administration intervened on July 31, following a Punjab and Haryana High Court order, allowing the plaza to reopen.
Substantial revenue:
Notably, the Ladhowal toll plaza has generated substantial revenue over the past 5 financial years, with collections totaling ₹878.67 crore.
The highest collection of ₹296.37 crore was recorded in 2023-24, followed by ₹247.47 crore in 2022-23, and lower collections of ₹205.41 crore in 2019-20, ₹74.07 crore in 2020-21, and ₹55.35 crore in 2021-22 due to Covid restrictions.
The Ladhowal toll plaza, operational since May 11, 2009, charges user fees for a 115.1 km stretch of the 328.05-km Jalandhar-Panipat NH-44 highway.
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