Farmer unions shut Ladhowal toll plaza booths, lift dharna

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Ludhiana, June 30

During the ongoing protest by farmers at the Ladhowal toll plaza on Sunday, farmer groups locked booths of employees working at the plaza while declaring it toll free for commuters.

The farmer groups announced that they would lift their dharna from the site, but the toll plaza would remain locked. They said if plaza officials try to open the locks of booths and start toll collection, they would again start their dharna.

The farmer groups from Shambhu border and from across the state too joined the protesters at the Ladhowal toll plaza on Sunday. Interestingly, today children and women in large numbers also took part in the protest.

Since morning, there was lot of hustle bustle at the Ladhowal toll plaza. For almost two weeks this agitation has been going on as farmers raised the issue of high rates at the toll plaza. They claimed that high rates were burning a hole in the pocket of common man so they were against this toll plaza.

Dilbagh Singh, state president, Bhartiya Kisan Mazdoor Union, said they had given a warning to the government to reduce toll rates by June 30, but their demand was not fulfilled. So, they locked the booths where employees sit and collect tax, he said.

“Even after recovering crores of rupees from the public, the agreement with the company for running this toll plaza has not been terminated by the government. Rather, the firm has increased the toll rates twice,” he said.

“Since these toll booths have no locks, we have covered them with tarpaulins. Commuters will not have to pay any tax. The toll barrier will remain closed for an indefinite period. Farmer unions will not allow toll collection till the NHAI initiates talks with us and agrees to reduce the toll to bare minimum like Rs 100 or Rs 150 for multiple rides for 24 hours,” Dilbagh Singh asserted.

The Ladhowal toll plaza is the costliest barrier in Punjab. Earlier too, several protests were held against the hike in toll charges. In a year, toll charges have been hiked thrice by the NHAI.

Apart from farmers, other people from the cross section of society are extending support to protesters. They are holding a sit-in along with farmers at the protest site.

Since no toll is being collected at the barrier from the past two weeks, the daily average loss to the NHAI is pegged at Rs 1 crore. In the past two weeks, the total estimated loss suffered by the NHAI is Rs 15 crore.