News: Not satisfied with concessional passes for Sohna Road toll plaza, locals to continue agitation-21-04-2022
The locals have now decided to hold a meeting on April 26 and decide the future course of action for their agitation
Residents of areas around Sohna Road on Wednesday said that they will continue their agitation against the newly opened Ghamroj toll plaza, as they are not satisfied with the government’s offer of concessional passes. They have been demanding exemption from toll for local commuters and use of the service road toll-free.
Protesters, who have banded together as part of the Sohna Toll Hatao Sangarsh Samiti, said that while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had refused to exempt them from paying toll citing rules, the officials had, in fact, exempted residents of areas around Kherki Daula toll plaza and other toll plazas across the country from paying the toll.
The locals have now decided to hold a meeting on April 26 and decide the future course of action for their agitation.
“We had sought exemption from paying toll or shifting of this toll plaza, but the highway authority has refused it on account of its rules. If they are not willing to give exemption to Sohna Road locals, then the exemption should be stopped at all toll plazas. This is an unjust practice. The toll plaza should be shifted to the end or beginning of the road. Right now, everyone will be charged as it is in the middle of the highway,” said Satbir Khatana, president of Sohna Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti.
Highway authorities have offered concession passes to residents who live within 20km of the toll plaza, who can make 50 trips at a cost of ₹315 per month. Private car owners have to currently pay ₹45 as toll per trip.
On April 18, residents of around 30 villages and condominiums along the Sohna Road and Sohna town protested at the Ghamroj toll plaza, which became operational on April 1, demanding an exemption or shifting of the toll plaza. Haryana’s deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala discussed the matter in a meeting on Tuesday and asked NHAI officials to find a viable solution.
However, locals said that none of their demands such as a free service road, unlimited trips on a concession pass or shifting of toll plaza had been accepted.
The Samiti members also met the NHAI and PWD teams that took stock of the construction status of the project on Wednesday and apprised them of their demands. “The residents of villages and the town have houses and farms on both sides of the highway and they will be cut off by this road. The authorities need to understand our problems. We will take this agitation forward,” said Khatana.
Vikas Mittal, senior manager, NHAI, who was part of the team, said that toll exemption can’t be given, but concessional passes will be issued to all eligible residents. “We have also deployed two NHAI staffers at the toll plaza to ensure that passes are made available to commuters without hindrance. A three-member team also took stock of the construction of the Sohna elevated road project,” he said.
The team was constituted on Tuesday and asked to assess the status of the project construction in the meeting of Samiti members and NHAI officials, which was chaired by Chautala.
