Toll plaza at Ban to stay: Gadkari
Arteev Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chenani (Udhampur), July 14
Despite resistance and protests, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has refused to close the Ban toll plaza on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.
It has remained non-committal over the “drastic reduction” in toll being collected from transporters and other vehicle owners using the highway as requested by the state government.
“The decision to start the toll plaza was taken by the UPA government after 75 per cent of the road work was done. I cannot do anything. If we cancel toll collection, we will have to pay heavy compensation to the developer,” said Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, yesterday.
The Union Minister was speaking on the sidelines of the ‘final blasting’ of the country’s longest road tunnel between Chenani and Nashri on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway.
He said his ministry had brought in a new toll policy under which a deadline would be fixed for the developer to complete the remaining 25 per cent work after carrying out 75 per cent of every project.
“We have decided that we will not charge toll on roads which are completed at a cost of Rs 100 crore or less,” he said.
He did not not utter a word about rationalisation of toll charges at Ban for vehicles plying on the Jammu-Udhampur stretch of the highway.
Altaf Bukhari, Minister for Roads and Buildings, said they had recommended rationalisation of toll being charged from transporters and other road users.
“We never asked for closing of the toll plaza. We expect an early positive response from the Centre on the issue,” he said.
Asked about the Union minister not making any mention of rationalisation of toll, Bukhari tried to downplay the issue.
He said, “Gadkari may not have knowledge about the recommendation made by the state government, but it is in process with his ministry. I will visit New Delhi after Eid and the issue will again be taken up.”
