Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Mar 15: The tollgate near NITK Surathkal had been set up a few years back on temporary basis. Several leaders have doled out promises to close down the tollgate here, but no concrete steps have been taken to implement this decision. A definite assurance to shut down the toll plaza had been given over a year ago. Even as the people are expressing anger at the fact that this toll gate continues to exist, the tendering process for the toll collection will begin afresh in April this year.

This tollgate had been established in the year 2014, overlooking objections and protests from the people. The gate has encountered a number of protests so far. The people had pointed out that there should be a minimum distance of 60 km between two tollgates. Now, the highways department has hung a flex near this tollgate, saying that the said rule was in existence in the past. It also claims that the Surathkal tollgate was established based on the area where the works were executed and taking into account the cost involved.

The tollgate here looks as if it is there just to collect toll charges and not to provide facilities to road users. There are no basic facilities like toilets, resting rooms for vehicle drivers, place where minor repairs of vehicles can be conducted etc. The toll charges here are already excessive. With a bridge being built at Kulur at a cost of Rs 66 crore and flyover near KPT planned at a cost of Rs 24 crore having been proposed, the toll charges here it appears, will go up further and the vehicles users may be asked to shell out more instead of closing down the toll gate.

People are losing their patience as they are made to pay hefty toll chargers at three places that are located within a short distance. Recently, a protest led by Asif had been undertaken without any break during the day and night. It was planned to take out a mega foot march from Hejamady to Surathkal tollgate on March 15. However, because of prohibitory orders in place in the district, this Padayatra has been postponed.

MP Nalin Kumar Kateel had personally appealed to union minster for highways and road transport Nitin Gadkari, when he came here to lay foundation stones for highway works recently to dismantle the tollgate at Surathkal. People are for a response from the central government.