Toll tax stir hits traffic on Biju Expressway

Vehicular communications on the Biju Expressways were disrupted for more than four hours between Sambalpur and Rourkela on Saturday as protestors under the banner of the Highway Users’ Forum staged road blockades protesting against collection of toll tax on the expressway.

Separate protests were organised at three toll gates at Rengali in Sambalpur district, Lainga near Rajgangpur and Masakanikani of Sundargarh district between 8 am to 12 pm.

The protests were called by Highway Users’ Forum and supported by the district bar associations of Sundargarh and Sambalpur. The protesters alleged that the L&T Company has been collecting illegally toll tax at Masnikani gate and Laing on the Biju Expressway.

But no untoward incident was reported during the protests. However, the agitators warned that if a decision is not taken soon they would intensify their protests and all the lawyers’ associations in western Odisha would join the agitation.