Punjab Day gift: Now, pay more at Lehra toll plaza

Mahesh Sharma

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Mandi Ahmedgarh, November 1

Residents and commuters of the town and surrounding areas will now have to shell out more bucks at the toll plaza in Lehra village on the Ludhiana-Malerkotla road in Ludhiana district near here.

The step was taken despite the fact that office-bearers and activists of various organisations have been struggling for either waiver of the tax or issuance of concession passes as the toll plaza is located within the 5 km radius from the local Municipal Council limits.

While residents threatened to launch movement again to seek waiver of the tax officials at the toll plaza office maintained that the rates were revised according to terms and conditions settled by the company with the government.

Terming the decision to hike the rates as arbitrary residents including traders, employees and small transporters, alleged that common man would be the worst hit.

Tarsem Garg, a trader and office-bearer of the Chaura Bazar Shopkeepers Association said, “Shops dealing in items of daily use already look deserted due to frequent and long closure of railway crossings at the Pohir and Jagera roads. The government has added salt to the injury by increasing toll rates.”

Former president of the Municipal Council, Ravinder Puri, regretted that the authorities during the previous SAD-BJP government had assured to waive off the toll for residents of local town and surrounding areas after various trade and political organisations protested against construction of the plaza infrastructure at Lehra.

Social activist from the Yash Painter Wali Street area, Naresh Sharma, said the toll hike would affect all residents of the area irrespective of their financial background.

Sandeep Shahi, a commission agent and brick kiln owner, apprehended exploitation of members of lower and middle class on pretext of the increased cost of goods due to hike in toll rate of all categories of vehicles.

Justifying resentment among residents, the Congress leader and local councillor, Issa Mohammad, said he had already discussed the issue with Teji Kamalpur, personal assistant of the legislator, Surjit Singh Dhiman.

“We will meet the legislator soon and request him to take up the matter with the administration,” he added.