FASTag Row at Sandur Toll Plaza: Cash-Only System Sparks Allegations of Massive Revenue Loss in Ballari

Questions are mounting over a toll plaza near Sandur in Ballari district, where motorists are still forced to pay exclusively in cash, sparking allegations of massive unaccounted daily collections and negligible remittance to the Karnataka government.

The toll gate, located on the Hosapete road outside Sanduru and operated under the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL), handles thousands of mining lorries each day. Despite this heavy traffic, the plaza continues to operate with manual cash collection. Staff issue no machine-generated receipts and maintain no visible transaction records for road users - a rarity in a state where most toll plazas have switched to FASTag.

Allegations of Revenue Gap

Opposition leaders have accused local political figures of benefiting from the cash-driven system. According to estimates cited in political complaints, the toll plaza reportedly collects ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh per day, but documents shared by complainants show that only ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh is reflected as payment to the state treasury.

BJP ST Morcha state president Bangaru Hanumanth has alleged that the remaining money is being siphoned off, claiming the funds are being routed to Minister Santosh Lad and Ballari MP E. Tukaram instead of reaching government accounts in full.

Daily Toll Collection vs Government Remittance

Item Amount (per day)
Estimated toll collection ₹10 lakh - ₹15 lakh
Amount reportedly paid to government ₹1 lakh - ₹1.5 lakh
KRDCL Says FASTag Proposal Awaiting Approval

Amid rising public pressure, KRDCL has issued a clarification on the absence of FASTag. The agency said a proposal to introduce the system at the Sandur toll plaza has already been submitted to the Karnataka government and operations will begin once formal approval is granted.

FASTag lanes have become the norm across most toll plazas in Karnataka. However, the mining belt of Ballari remains an exception, forcing drivers to keep cash handy. Users say this system leads to long queues, confusion during peak hours and inconsistent toll handling.

Concerns From Lorry Drivers, Local Residents

Mining lorry drivers - who pass through the toll multiple times a day - say manual collection slows vehicle movement, results in frequent disputes over rates and makes it difficult for operators to verify actual trip costs.

Residents and road users in Sanduru are now urging the state government to:

Audit toll accounts immediately

Probe the allegations raised by Bangaru Hanumanth

Expedite approval for FASTag installation

Many believe these steps are essential to ensure transparency, curb misuse of public money and bring smoother, faster movement along the busy Ballari-Sandur mining route.