Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 28: Nagarika Samiti Mangaluru has stoutly protested against the decision of the toll plaza at Suratkal National Institute of Technology (Karnataka) to collect toll fee even from private local vehicles beginning March 1. Angry over the stubborn attitude of the toll plaza contractors, Mangaluru North MLA, Dr Bharath Shetty, has threatened to demolish the toll plaza if the plaza operators start to collect fee from local private vehicles and smaller vehicles from March 1.

In the meanwhile, Suratkal Anti Toll Action Committee has called for a public protest meeting on Thursday to oppose toll collection. The committee says that the very existence of the tollgate here is illegal, and efforts of the concerned to charge toll fee on local vehicles is unpardonable.

Dr Bharath Shetty - File photo

A meeting of officials of the company to which the contract to run Suratkal toll plaza is given,   Nagarika Samiti members and officials of National Highways Authority of India was held at the office of the highways authority here on Wednesday February 27. Samiti president, Subhashchandra Shetty, pointed out that since the last some years local vehicles have been exempted from collection of toll fee. He said that as the locals have no alternative roads to use, they are dependent on the highway completely. "A consensus had been reached in the past in the presence of local people's representatives, highway officials and deputy commissioner of the district to extend concession from toll fee collection to local vehicles. The decision of the contractors to overlook this decision in the guise of loss is condemnable," he stated. He also said that as the contracting company failed to arrive at a firm decision on the issue, protest will be organized on Thursday against the company.