Bhubaneswar: In view of hue and cry over functioning of five unauthorised tollgates on national highways across the state, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi Saturday clarified that no tollgate in the state is illegal.
“We have discussed the functioning of eight tollgates along national highways in the state. No tollgate is functioning illegally. They have set up the tollgates as per norms and also taken permission for each tollgate,” Padhi said after holding a review meet, in presence of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) chairman Raghav Chandra here.
However, the state government officials along with NHAI officials would conduct a detailed survey on establishment of tollgates and then send a proposal to NHAI for their consideration, he said, adding, the proposal would be submitted within a month.
The NHAI would take up the issue with the Union ministry of road transport and highways to take a final call in this regard, Padhi added.
When asked whether toll fee would continue to be collected as usual before taking the issue to NHAI, the Chief Secretary replied, “Whatever toll fee is being collected now will continue till further decision in this regard.”
“These tollgates are not illegal because the highways had built them as per the rules. However, if there is any issue, the state government will submit a detailed report in this regard, we will examine it and then respond to it accordingly,” said the NHAI chairman.
The officials reviewed the progress of 12 NHAI projects, which are under way in the state. “We have 2000-km of national highways, which are part of our overall projection for Orissa out of which 620-km road has been constructed while work is under progress for the remaining 1300-km,” Chandra said.
The NHAI chairman has made a commitment to the state government that all roads would be travel worthy and that people would not face any problem while travelling on those roads. “If required, extra work, will be done from our side as we are committed to the road users,” he added.
The officials have discussed the land acquisition and forest diversion problems of individual cases. The state government has promised to expedite the issues like land acquisition, forest diversion and steps for early grounding of the projects.
The status of upcoming NH projects including four-laning of Singara-Binjabahal section of NH-6 (104 km), four-laning of Binjabahal-Telibani section of NH-6 (77 km), four-laning of Cuttack-Angul section of NH-42 (112km), four-laning of Angul-Sambalpur section of NH-55 (153 km) and foul-laning of Biramitrapur-Rajamunda section of NH-23 (76km) were discussed.
It was also decided that NHAI would engage retired OAS and OFS officers for expediting land acquisition and forest diversion proposals.
It was decided at the meeting to construct approach road to info-valley-II, a junction at Palasuni in NH-16 and construction of fly over at Khandagiri and Belbahali bridge on Panikoili-Rimuli NH-20.
The NHAI chairman also appreciated the proposals and gave the go-ahead to senior NHAI officials present at the meeting. Chandra said works should go ahead depending on the resolution of the meeting.
Meanwhile, transport and commerce minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi stated that the revised toll fee charges imposed as per the May 18 notification, would not be implemented till further decision has not been taken.
“After taking appropriate decision, the government will issue a fresh notification,” he added. PNN
