In 5 months, NHAI, toll firms suffer Rs 100-crore loss in Karnal district

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, May 28

The ongoing farmers’ agitation that has made passage through toll plazas free for commuters has caused losses to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and the toll collection companies. The farmers’ protest has been going on at the toll plazas since December 25, 2020.

As per sources, NHAI and toll companies in Karnal district alone have suffered a loss of around Rs 100 crore in the past five months and the protest is still going on.

In Karnal, farmers have been staging dharna at Bastara toll plaza on NH-44 and Peont toll plaza on NH-709A. They are not allowing the companies to collect toll.

With the help of the administration, the toll companies had started collecting toll on one or two occasions, but farmers forced the companies to not collect toll, said an official of the NHAI.

The official said that on average, the toll collection at Bastara toll plaza was around Rs 68-70 lakh daily. It was Rs 2-2.25 lakh daily at Peont toll plaza. Bastara toll plaza is said to be one of the highest toll collection plazas of the state.

“We are not getting toll due to the farmers’ agitation. We are maintaining the highways so that commuters do not face any difficulty on the road,” said an official of the NHAI.

On the other hand, the farmers are adamant on continuing the protest at the toll plazas till the fulfillment of their demands. “Hundreds of farmers are staging dharna at both the toll plazas in Karnal to make those free for commuters. A large number of women also participate in these dharnas. We will not lift our dharnas till the fulfillment of our demands including repealing of these laws and a law to ensure MSP,” said Bhadur Singh Mehla, district president, IT cell, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Charuni).