'Daylight robbery by NHAI': TN Congress to protest at 70 toll gates

CHENNAI: The state Congress unit on Wednesday announced a statewide protest at all 70 highway toll gates in the state condemning the ‘daylight robbery’ of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

Referring to the NHAI circular dated June 2024, notifying a five to seven per cent increase in the highway toll collected at the 67 toll gates on highways in the state, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K Selvaperunthagai said that the Congress wishes to organize an intense protest against the anti-people activities of the NHAI which has been engaging in daylight robbery in the pretext of collecting toll from vehicles users on the State highways. The district Congress units would hold picketing protests in all 70 toll gates on the highways in the state to register the condemnation against the toll collection there.

Citing as example the toll collection in Paranur tollgate near Chengalpattu for 19 years since 2005, Selvaperunthagai asked the NHAI to reveal the details of the volume of toll collected in the tollgate so far.

Pointing to the letter state highway minister E V Velu had written earlier to the union government for removing the toll gates at Paranur, Krishnagiri, Sriperumbudur and Irungattukottai where toll collection has been continuing beyond the contract period, the TNCC chief wondered who receives such collected toll fare?

Citing the CAG report of 2023 unearthing collection of Rs 132 crore in violation of the rules at tollgates, the TNCC president question the inaction of the Modi regime so far on the issue and sought to know what was the response of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who claims to be squeaky clean, on the CAG’s findings? He also sarcastically asked if the Modi regime was hesitant to order a probe owing to fear of a scam.