Mangaluru: Demanding shutting down of the toll plaza at NITK, Suratkal and execution of the work on the new bridge at Kuloor, the members of Anti Tollgate Action Committee have planned to organise another protest meeting near NITK, Suratkal on February 28.
Convener of the committee Muneer Katipalla told mediapersons here that despite several protests to shut down the toll plaza at NITK Suratkal, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is not budging. “Though the local vehicles (KA-19) are exempted from paying the toll fees, it is being said that the same would be withdrawn from March 1. The toll is being collected at Hejamady also which is just 10 km away from NITK. But, as per the guidelines, there should be at least 60 km distance between two toll plazas”, he informed.
Pointing at the dilapidated condition of Kuloor bridge, Muneer said the NHAI had already submitted a report to the district administration about the pathetic condition of the bridge. “If the district administration does not take up the construction of the new bridge, a disaster may definitely occur in the near future”, he cautioned.
Coming down heavily on MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Muneer said that Nalin was directly responsible for the illegal toll collection at NITK. “Though the toll plaza was set up on a temporary basis near NITK, Suratkal in the year 2016, it was neither merged with Hejamady tollgate nor has it been removed so far. Though Nalin had assured of taking measures to remove the toll plaza instead of merging it with the Hejamady tollgate, he has not fulfilled his promise so far”, he said and asked the public to support the scheduled protest.
Corporator Dayananda Shetty, committee leaders like Moosabba Pakshikere, Dinesh Kumpala, B K Imthiyaz and Raghu Ekkar among others were present.
