GIDC unit owners irked after NHAI closes gate

SURAT: Industrialists and unit owners of Sachin GIDC have sought intervention of the elected representatives after the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) barred entry of heavy and other vehicles at one of the four gates.
Sources said the NHAI barred entry of vehicles into Sachin GIDC through gate number-2 from Monday after a senior officer got stuck in traffic jam.

The gate number-2 in Sachin GIDC is one of the busiest entry points for vehicles coming from industrial units in Hazira. With the NHAI’s decision to close the entry, the vehicles will have to enter from other gates.

Sachin Industrial Cooperative Society Ltd (SICSL) has requested Choriyasi MLA Jhankhana Patel and Navsari MP C R Paatil to take up the issue with the NHAI authorities.

SICSL secretary Mayur Golwala said, “It was in 2013 that the NHAI had given the permission for constructing gate-2 following representation from the society. Earlier, the vehicles would enter the GIDC through wrong side, which caused accidents and traffic jams. Now, the NHAI has decided to again stop entry from gate-2 for the vehicles. We have demanded that the NHAI open the gate for entry of vehicles.”

An NHAI officer said, “We have stopped entry of vehicles as there is heavy traffic jam on gate-2. We are assessing the data of accidents occurring at gate-2. However, exit of vehicles from GIDC is allowed.”