Roll back highway toll hike: CLP tells union govt

CHENNAI: Congress Legislature Party leader K Selvaperunthagai on Wednesday urged the union government to immediately roll back the annual highway toll hike in Tamil Nadu in the interest of the people and transport sector.

Stating that the five to ten percent annual hike in highway toll in 55 toll gates in the state since April last and Rs 5 - 150 increase in the toll in another 28 highway toll gates in the state has adversely affected trader, vehicle owners and ordinary people alike, Selvaperunthagai said that the people, who are already reeling under skyrocketing inflation and unemployment, run the risk of facing a sharp rise in the price of essential commodities owing to the highway toll hike.

Remarking that the highway toll hike was unfair by all means, the CLP, in a statement, said that the toll hike was an unnecessary burden imposed on the people and hence the union government must immediately roll back the highway toll hike in the interest of the people and the transport sector.

Recalling the announcement of union highways minister Nitin Gadkari that a toll gate would be set up for only every 60km and toll would be reduced by 40% in nine toll gates in Tamil Nadu from March 3I, 2023, Selvaperunthagai said that none of the announcements have come to effect and the highway toll continues to rise every year.

Citing union government's inaction on the resolution adopted by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on September 2, 202I for the closure of 32 'expired' toll gates in the state, Selvam alleged that toll was being unfairly collected in the pretext of maintenance in toll gates for which the monetization period has long ended.