Container Road toll: All-party meet on February 16

KOCHI: With the ongoing strike by the container lorry owners over the introduction of the toll on the Vallarpadam-Kalamassery Container Road stretch entering the fourth day resulting in affecting the export business industry, District Collector Mohammed Y Safirulla on Wednesday said action will be initiated against those who sabotage the toll collection. 

The Collector, who directed the police to take stringent action against the protesters, said the trucks and lorries have to pay the toll fare fixed by the NHAI. “We will convene a meeting regarding the issue on February 16 in the presence of the MP and MLAs. Those who tried to stop the collection of toll will have to face legal action,” the Collector said. 

Earlier, Safirulla held a resolution meeting with the Container Monitoring Committee, a body comprising stakeholders like lorry owners, workers and trade union leaders, but failed to yield a result. “We’ve decided to intensify the strike. The authorities are not willing to hear us. We demand the toll collection should be stopped and then a reasonable fee fixed through dialogue,” said Charles George, convenor of the committee. Around 200 container lorries have been staying off the road since the toll collection was started.