These days, when you go on long drives you will invariably encounter a few, if not several, toll booths. In most cases, you dont mind paying the tab as it ensures a better ride for the stretch. There are of course stretches which make you wonder whether you are paying for building the road or for a cross-country experience complete with obstacles! But that is the matter for another post. This post concerns amount of toll charges and a possible explanation for their being an odd combination of numerals. Ever wonder why a toll charge is Rs. 84 instead of a rounded figure like 80 or 85. So while you dont mind paying the toll, what bugs you is the exercise of hunting for the right change and waiting in the line of vehicles while the toll collectors goes through his duties. Just look at the toll charges on the Mumbai-Pune Express way (inset picture) and you wonder why would anyone keep such odd numbers as the toll charges.
I dont think a bus would mind paying Rs. 250 instead of Rs. 247 OR the state would lose much money by collecting Rs. 410 instead of Rs. 411?! So then why? I have three possible explanations:
1. The toll collecting firm is bitten by the numerology bug. So by some strange calculation, 410 would have been unlucky and the traffic from Mumbai to Pune would have dropped 20%
2. The ministry for education realised that Indians are losing their image of being mathematical geniuses, and decided to tune up our brains by ensuring we did intricate calculations to get our right change back
3. Confectionery companies found this great way to beat the slowdown. So the toll booth hand out candies and mints instead of change. Everytime there is a shortfall in the budget, they promptly increase the number of odd digits in the toll charges across the country! (Imagine the surprise on the toll collectors face as my driver handed back the same chocolate on the return journey in place of the change!)
Do write back on which of the above is the main reason, or if you have any other explanation.
Hi Naimish,
ReplyDeleteI have another explanation to add. In order to ensure that the Toll Collection teams are motivated enough to be vigilant and ensure maximum collections, it could be that the odd figures are being paid out to them on the spot as cash incentive. The amounts which are booked as revenue are the even figures. This can also make a case for the toll companies to negotiate a greater concession period / some fixed annuities from the govt.
That's my gues though
Delhi works slightly differently
ReplyDeleteOf the 2 major toll roads, one has all these vague nos (18, 52 etc) and the other one has a round figure (20). Again, in the larger of the two (Gurgaon toll, which has "un"rounded figures like 18, 52) you would be surprised at the enormous change they carry. They are ready with a change for 100 when the vehicle comes to the post (Thank god, they don't offer candies for change). Normally in the evening and mornings, the queue streches to more than a km.
I have another possible explaination for the "not so round" figures for using the toll. It is in the interest of everyone involved to migrate the toll users from paying in cash to using tags/smart cards. For the commuter, it is more inexpensive; for the toll company, its less of a headache and manpower and for the society, faster commutation and lesser queues. Hence it is an emotional/psychological penalty that the toll co/govt imposes on the non-tag users. But this is very poorly implemented in Delhi (Can comment only on Delhi, as haven't seen Mumbai tolls). Non tag users are not penalised for entering tag lanes and toll guys are always ready with change. My take on the non rounded figures is that its a nice strategy, which falls flat 'cos of poor implementation and supporting powers.
Hi Naimish
ReplyDeleteFirst time here and loving it. The question you have posed is one that has vexed most Indians, except of course the chaps who set the tolls. All three of your suggested explanations look equally likely:)
Cheers
Hi Naimish,
ReplyDeleteA mathematical modeling professor will see rates differing by the lane, First Class, Business Class, Cattle Class, then formulate a Transportation model to increase the complexity of the problem.
A Bureaucrat made model, would have the above lanes differing by the number of speed rumblers, speed breakers or vehicle breakers in the lane.
Cheers