MANGALURU: The Action Committee Against Toll Gate will hold dharna near the toll booth at
Surathkal on August 14.
The action committee formed to fight against toll collection on NH66 at Surathkal and also demands filling of potholes on the newly constructed four lane highway. The committee also demands that the toll collection at Thalappady toll gate on the stretch should be stopped till the work on two flyovers at Pumpwell and Thokkottu are completed.
Action committee convener Muneer Katipalla said the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has opened a toll gate at Surathkal two years ago promising that it will be closed after the opening of a toll booth at Hejmadi, which is just 10 kms away. “They had opened the toll gate even in the midst of stiff opposition from the people. Though another toll booth was opened at Hajmadi, the toll collection continued at Surathkal too. Elected representatives promised that the toll gate at Surathkal will be closed when its contract ends on July 30. However, the contract has been renewed by the NHAI and the toll collection continued even after July 30. We condemn this and urge the government to close the toll booth immediately,” Muneer said.
The minimum distance between two toll gates should be 40kms and service roads also should be provided while developing four lane toll roads. Similarly, there should be no potholes on such roads and it should be filled within 48 hours as per the rules. However, all such rules are violated. While people are made to pay toll within 10kms distance, roads are filled with potholes and service roads does not exist at many stretches, Muneer said.
A long pending demand of people to have a flyover on NH66 at Nanthoor also has been ignored by the government, he added.
Representative image
