Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)
Udupi, Feb 1: Shankar Rao, official representing Navayuga Company that manages tollgates, asserted that no concession in toll fee can be extended to local vehicles from nearby places in respect of toll gates. He said that the vehicle owners, if they so wish, can buy monthly pass of Rs 255 to avoid frequent payments.
Shankar Rao gave this clarification when deputy commissioner of the district, Priyanka Mary Francis, visited the spot near Hejamadi toll plaza where activists of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike and Padubidri Nagarika Samiti have been holding protest since the last 24 days, demanding concession in toll charges, on Thursday January 31. Rao also said that the concession now being extended at Sasthan tollgate will be removed.
Angered at this response, the protesters urged the deputy commissioner to remove the tollgate built at the inner road leading to Hejamadi. The deputy commissioner said that the district administration cannot take a decision as there is no provision in law. She said that she has already sent report to the government, recommending blacklisting Navayuga Company. She also promised that another round of talks would be held with the government and officials of Navayuga Company and a decision would be arrived at within the next three days.
The protesters, not satisfied by the development, expressed their decision to continue with their stir. The deputy commissioner also instructed the Navayuga project officer to complete construction of service road within 15 days.
The statement about withdrawal of concession at Sasthan tollgate has attracted angry reaction from locals. After the locals held strong agitation for several days, after discussions, the company had agreed to waive toll charges for vehicles from Kota Zilla panchayat constituency. As similar demand has now been raised at Padubidri, the company has said that it would withdraw concession at Sasthan. The locals said that they will undertake strong protests if the company withdraws concession now being offered to them.