Committee formed to resolve toll plaza row coming up in Palwal district

Bijendra Ahlawat

Palwal, April 25

A 31-member committee has been set up to take up the stir against the toll plaza coming up on NH-19 near Gadpuri village in the district.

A petition has also been filed in the local court for the restoration of possession of land to the village panchayat, alleging that part of the plaza had come up on the panchayat land illegally.

“The committee called ‘Gadpuri Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti’ has been set up after a meeting of the representatives of various political and non-political bodies,” Karan Singh Dalal, former minister and one of the conveners of the ongoing agitation, said.

The committee comprises members and representatives from various political and non-political bodies.

Describing it as wrong and illegal, Dalal said the committee had resolved to get the setting up the toll suspended or removed in view of the violation of the norms of the 60-km distance between two tolls, and four-laning of the elevated flyover on the national highway at Palwal as against the norm of six lanes.

Alleging that the plaza had partially been built on a land belonging to the panchayat of Gadpuri village, Lakshman Singh, one of the petitioners, said legal procedure for acquiring the land was not followed.

OP Sharma, the advocate who has filed the petition, said it had been filed to claim the possession of the five-acre land owned by the panchayat of Gadpuri village. “The petition appeals for directions to the authorities concerned for non-interference on the land that belongs to the village panchayat,” he added.

A notice was also issued by the BDPO, Prithla, on February 25, in which the district authorities were requested to take action against the removal of the encroachment done on this land.

‘Violation’ of norms

“The committee will resolve to get the toll suspended or removed in view of the violation of the norms of the 60-km distance between two tolls, and four-laning of the elevated flyover on the national highway at Palwal as against the norm of six lanes,” said Karan Singh Dalal, one of the conveners of the agitation.