Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Nov 30: A meeting which was organized at Vidhana Soudha Bengaluru on Thursday November 29 in an effort to break the impasse over collection of toll charges at the plazas set up in Sasthan and Hejamady in this district failed to arrive at any understanding over the issue. Toll collection at the above two tollgates has been facing strong opposition from the people and people's representatives.

Members of Rashtriya Heddari Horata Samiti who were present at the meeting told the media persons that Udupi district in-charge minister Jayamala expressed strong reservations at the initiative undertaken by Navayuga Company to collect toll charges without completing works on national highway. She noted that lot of work connected with national highway is still pending in the district.

Although PWD minister Revanna was pressurized to issue an order to the company on behalf of the government against collection of toll charges till the works are completed, the minister failed to take a decision on this issue. Revanna washed off his hands from the issue by saying that the state government is not vested with the power to take a decision on the issue and that the union government alone can take a stand.

Leader of the opposition in the council, Kota Srinivas Poojary, and Udupi MLA, K Raghupati Bhat, who were present at the meeting, took Navayuga Company severely to task. They said that they are in support of the people who are agitating against collection of toll charges from local vehicles, and also about improper highway works. They said that they would back the people against toll charge collection and sternly warned that police presence will not deter them. They further warned that if the company remains stubborn on collection of toll from locals, they would not allow toll collection even in respect of vehicles coming in from other destinations.

When it became clear that the meeting could not take a solid decision on the issue, the legislators walked out along with agitators from the meeting, after asserting their determination not to allow collection of toll fee from local vehicles.

Byndoor MLA, Sukumar Shetty, zilla panchayat member, Raghavendra Kanchan Barikery, leaders representing the Horata Samiti like Naveen Banji, Bhoja Poojary, Vittal Poojary Airody, Prataap Shetty, Prashanth Shetty, Govind Poojary and Alwyn Andrade were present at the meeting.