Keonjhar: Even as work on NH-20 expansion in Keonjhar is yet to be over, vehicle owners and others have opposed collection of toll by the NHAI from four wheelers and heavy vehicles at three toll plazas over a stretch of 145 km.
Protests by bus owners’ associations have stopped toll collection for the time being at Hasanpur, Khantaghar and Banajodi.
A meeting between the project director of NHAI and representatives of various bus owners’ associations was held Saturday, but it remained inconclusive.
The bus owners stated that each bus can pay Rs 1,000 as monthly toll while the agency, which has been entrusted with the toll collection task, made it clear that it would take up the issue with NHAI.
Till a final decision is taken, there won’t be any collection of toll from buses. However, toll collection from four wheelers, trailers and trucks will continue.
Gayatri Company has been carrying out the NH-20 expansion work on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. It was awarded a contract of toll collection for 24 years, it was learnt.
Already six years have passed since the inception of the work. Now, the company seems to be worrying over how to raise the funds from toll collection from the remaining 16 years.
The agency has set a target of collecting Rs 50 lakh per day toward toll collection. 170 buses operate on the route while the agency has allegedly incurred huge losses due to stoppage of toll.
Reliable sources said if the agency fails to collect targeted amount of toll, it may move court against NHAI.
On the other hand, work on road, drainage, passenger shed and some bridges is yet to be over. Roadside plantation work has not been completed as yet.
Manoranjan Mishra, a bus owner, said Rs 325 will be collected from each bus at one gate. If calculated, a bus owner has to cough up Rs 9,000 over a month, which he termed as illegal.
Baroda Prasanna Das, president of Keonjhar Yuba Parishad, said heavy toll collection is like a burden on a poor district like Konjhar. Common people will suffer from exorbitant toll collection, he observed.
Nabin Kumar Palei, general secretary of Yuba O Shrama Bikash Manch, said toll collection in short distance is illegal. He warned of an agitation if it continues. He even threatened to move court. PNN