Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) has so far collected a total of Shs17.2bn on the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway in the last six months.
This was revealed Friday by UNRA executive director, Allen Kagina, while launching a partnership with MTN Uganda to provide toll fee payment solutions along the Kampala-Entebbe Expressway for road users.
“This money is transferred on a daily basis by the Cash in Transit Company and deposited onto the Government Account for Proper accountability,” Kagina explained.
UNRA installed an Independent Traffic Monitoring System, that reconciles all revenues collected with the traffic that has passed at each lane.
“This creates confidence after reconciliation with the Tolling system, whereby, in case of any misclassification or violation of the procedures, the Operator pays for all the discrepancies,” noted Kagina.
According to her, the average daily traffic volume recorded at the three Toll Plazas is 20,166 vehicles per day versus the projected traffic of 16,000 vehicles per day.
She said more network-enabled loading options will be introduced in the near future since other telecommunications companies have also been engaged.
UNRA on behalf of the Government of Uganda entered into a contract with Egis Road Operation on 14th May 2021, to Operate and Maintain the Kampala—Entebbe Expressway.
Among the services offered in this contract include: Incident management, Route Patrols, Axle load control and Toll Operations.
Tolling operations commenced on 8th January 2022, and it has now been operational for the past six months.
Previous schemes included only cash at the point of sale (Loading on NFC cards) and Tollbooth for payment of toll fees by road users.
The NFC cards include the monthly with a 70% discount, weekly card with a 50% discount and Easy pass card with a 10% discount.
According to Kagina, this arrangement has been causing unnecessary inconvenience when the Point of sales is closed (during the weekend and past working hours).
The Operator is mandated to provide remote payment options for the UPESI cards such as the use of Mobile Money and Bank transfers.
MTN Momo
“We have now partnered with MTN Uganda, Airtel and Stanbic Flexipay introducing remote card top-ups for the NFC cards easing the process of cards top-ups for road users which previously required the road users to top-up from the point of sales at each toll plaza,” Kagina revealed.
She said this new development will enable their clients to top up their cards in the comfort of their homes or workplaces thereby enabling customer satisfaction while using the Kampala—Entebbe Expressway.
A fee of different amounts is levied at the toll gates and access is granted to the different classes of motor vehicles and motorbikes.
“The partnership between MTN Mobile Money and UNRA will facilitate safe and convenient fee top-ups on the upesi card that allows motorists to access passage on the Entebbe Express highway,” said Richard Yego, Managing Director – MTN Mobile Money Uganda Limited.
All one needs is to log into the MoMo app or use USSD to top up their Upesi card.
“This update will not only ease the Upesi card recharge exercise but also make it convenient and easy for the road users to reload their Upesi cards from any place and not come to our points of sale which was hectic for them,” said Mr. Yavuz Cagatay, General Manager Egis Group.
The top-up can be done via the MTN MoMo app and via USSD by dialing *165*4*5*6# and following prompts.
This is how you can top up via USSD
- Subscriber dials the USSD Short Code (*165*4*5*6#)
- Selects Card type
- Enter Card number.
- Confirm and proceed
How to top up through the MoMo App.
- Log into the MoMo App
- Select Pay bill
- Fees and Taxes
- UNRA
- Follow prompts
On-Going Works
Expressway Lighting
Lighting poles and Cables have been delivered on-site (at the three Toll plazas). The Lighting Lamps are being cleared by URA and will soon be delivered on-site.
The setting out of all the lighting pole locations was completed. Sub-station base construction works were also completed.
Medium Voltage light works for the expressway lighting was also completed and have already been connected to the Umeme network.
Laying of cables and installation of lights will commence upon delivery of the Lighting Lamps.
Road Safety Facilities
UNRA alongside the Operator has undertaken a Road Safety Campaign, in which the road users of the Expressway are educated on the dos and don’ts along the Expressway.
Some of the messages delivered to the road users include keeping left unless overtaking and driving within the allowable speed limit of a maximum of 100km/hour on the Expressway.
Tollbooth protections were also put in place to safeguard the toll booth operators from any incidents that could arise from the incoming traffic approaching the plaza to make payments for passage.
There are sections of the Expressway where the chain-link has been vandalized and efforts to ensure that the Expressway is fully fenced are in the advanced stage.
