With the enforcement of highway toll charges from Kundapur to Kasargod beginning Tuesday January 31 midnight, local organizations and public are gearing up to protest the move.
Heddari Jagrathi Samithi on Tuesday warned that it will in no way allow collection of toll charges unless the problems related to the highway are addressed.
“Navayuga Company has said that it will start collecting toll charges from tonight. This has made the commuters unhappy as the highway work is yet to be completed. The deadline specified for the highway work has long ended. But Navayuga Company, which was also responsible for the highway work, has now decided to introduce toll charges. This is illegal.
“Protests were held in the past also regarding this issue and toll collections were postponed. But now, all at once, Navayuga has done the same thing. We are launching the protests this evening at 5 pm against the move at Gundmi, Hejamady and Talapady,” said Pratap Shetty, the president of Udupi district Heddari Jagrathi Samithi.
“Ambalpady, Kota, Murukai and Basrur flyovers have not been made as demanded. No drainage, street lights have been provided anywhere. Unwanted u-turns at Kota, Saligrama, Sasthan, Brahmavar, Santhekatte, Katapady and other places have been created, which have caused accidents. Underpass and overpass facilities have not been provided in many places. Many old bus stands have not been reconstructed. No parking facilities have been provided for rickshaws and goods vehicles. No proper footpaths have been constructed. In such scenario, introduction of toll charges is an offense.
“Hence we demand that no toll charges shall be collected from vehicles bearing KA 20 registration, that is, the vehicles registered in Udupi,” he added.
Kundapur taluk lorry owners association has supported the protest and has said that toll charges can only be collected after completion of proper highway work.
In Hejamady, the protest has been planned at 10.30 pm, and sources said that even Kaup MLA Vinay Kumar Sorake may join.
Meanwhile, there were reports that similar protest was planned in Talapady too. However, sources said that the Talapady Toll Gate Santrastara Horata Samiti has decided to wait, as the toll gate manager has said that he was yet to receive the order. It may mentioned here that both the Congress and the BJP had earlier protested against toll charges. The Samiti had earlier pointed out that the inner roads in the area had been left in a pathetic condition, with just patchwork with mud. In a list of demands, it had asked for proper roads, solution to drainage issues, and also pointed out that Navayug Company had failed in its promise to provide jobs for the locals. If the toll collection starts without the fulfillment of these demands, the Samithi may go ahead with the protest, sources said.
In Padubidri, protest is on the cards, but sources said that like the locals in Talapady, people here too would wait and watch. “No protest has been planned as yet, but toll collection will not be allowed,” a source said. It is also learnt that those who had protested in Padubidri the last time have been given labour contracts and will not be protesting now.
