Moga, Jul 5 (IANS): In a relief to commuters, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday closed the 10th toll plaza in the state on the Moga-Kotkapura road near Chand Puraana, thereby saving Rs 44.43 lakh daily from the pocket of the common man.

Interacting with the media after closing the Singhawala toll plaza, the Chief Minister said people had to pay a hefty amount of Rs 44.43 while crossing these 10 toll plazas.

However, he said with the closing of the 10 toll plazas people will be immensely benefited and get a major relief.

CM Mann said people travelling on the Moga-Kotkapura road had to pay Rs 4.68 lakh daily while crossing the Singhwala toll plaza but now their money will be saved.

The Chief Minister said these toll plazas were in reality the shops for the open loot of the public.

He said these tolls had plundered the public by flouting all the norms as per their agreement. However, Mann said it is surprising that instead of taking action against them in larger public interests, the successive state governments had patronized this loot by keeping a blind eye towards their misdeeds.

The Chief Minister said though the people had elected the governments for securing their interests but these "power mad politicians" shielded such defaulters just for their own vested interests. He said the previous governments ignored the ambiguities of these erring toll plazas and allowed them to mint the money illegally without bothering the public.