NewsKarnataka-Bantwal
Staff Correspondent
Mangalore/Bantwal: Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) workers staged a flash protest in front of the Brahmarakootlu Toll Plaza on Friday, April 18 morning in protest against the levying of higher free at the toll plaza in violation of the directive of the DC.
The protestors shouted slogans against the NH Authority and the toll contractors and were seen requesting motorists not to pay higher toll fee.
Speaking to reporters on the occasion, M.R. Vasudeva, AAP candidate from DK Lok Sabha constituency, strongly condemned the attitude of the toll plaza contractors and alleged that it was nothing but daylight robbery on their part to collect higher fee even after a directive from the DC.
He said after the AAP recently staged a protest against collection of revised fee even when poll code of conduct was in vogue, the DC had issued written instructions to collect the toll as in the past.
However, the AAP is now forced to protest again as the DC order has not been adhered to, Vasudeva said.
The AAP candidate also spoke to the NH authorities over phone and discussed the issue. The protestors demanded that the board giving details about the revised fares be removed and the earlier board be put up.
Gopakrishna Melanta, contractor and Town SI Sanjith Kallur also arrived at the protest venue.
The rates have been increased from April 1, 2014. Besides, a petition has been filed against this in the district magistrate’s court.
After hearing the case, on the same day when rates increased, deputy commissioner stayed the order of the NHAI.
But, the order was not implemented by the NHAI as well as toll collector contractor.
After the election, AAP under the leadership of M.R. Vasudeva, has again raised this issue and urging people to not pay the further increased rates but to pay the old rates only.
Eventually, after one and half hour protest at the toll gate, National Highway Authorities dislodged the higher rates and started collecting the old rates as per the order passed by the Deputy Commissioners cum District Magistrates.
