NEW DELHI: Those driving to Delhi can soon look forward to a smooth passage at the Gurgaon border, with the highway operator on Friday agreeing to exit the expressway project, a move that will pave the way for the removal of the toll plaza, a major hurdle to a hassle-free ride.

On Friday, the operator - Delhi Gurgaon Super Connectivity Ltd (DGSCL) - and lenders led by Infrastructure Development Finance Company (IDFC) submitted a joint letter to the National Highways Authority of India , sources familiar with the development told TOI. Immediately after this, NHAI began talks to remove the 32-lane toll plaza at the border once the lenders take charge of the road project. Once the move goes through, drivers will not have to pay any toll till they reach the second toll gate at Kherki Dhaula.

Sources said the issue was earlier discussed and approved at the level of NHAI board and once a settlement is reached, the case pending in the Delhi High Court will be withdrawn. "We are moving towards this but all the blocks are not in place," said a source.

NHAI is expected to formally inform the court on Monday when hears the highway authority's termination notice to DGSCL.

Spokespersons for the highway operator and IDFC refused to comment on the issue.

The dispute between NHAI, the highway operator and the lenders has been going for over close to two years but so far they were unable to break the deadlock, resulting in continued hardship to commuters.

Following Friday's letter, lenders led by IDFC will now set up a new company to operate the 28-km expressway which sees nearly two lakh vehicles cross the congested toll gate at the entrance of Gurgaon every day. During peak hours, cars constitute 72% of the traffic and even during the wait time if invariably over five minutes.

Sources said that the toll collection from second toll plaza at Kherki Dhaula would be enough to service the loan of Rs 1,600 crore that lenders have extended to DGSCL. Once the main toll plaza is removed traffic passing through the Kherki Dhaula toll plaza will have to pay the user charge for the entire stretch.

The settlement will come with the rider that all cases filed by the three agencies will be withdrawn, sources said. DGSCL had earlier placed claims of Rs 988 crore related to the project work. The joint letter drafted by IDFC and DGSCL also said that the highway operator will have no liability once it exits the project.

The understanding between and DGSCL and IDFC comes at a time when both NHAI and highways ministry have tightened their noose around the two entities. Alleging that the consortium of nine banks led by IDFC had refinanced the project without getting mandatory approval from NHAI, the authorities have termed this as a financial fraud and have also refused to recognize them as lenders. If the court upholds this stand, lenders may end up taking a hit of around Rs 1,400 crore.

Similarly, the operator is under scanner and complaints are pending with different agencies including the economic offences wing of Delhi Police for allegedly under-reporting toll collection at the 32-lane plaza.

