AIADMK men held for seeking removal of Kappalur toll plaza

MADURAI: Scores of AIADMK cadre, led by RB Udhayakumar, Tirumangalam MLA, courted arrest after staging a protest demanding the removal of toll plaza at Kappalur in Madurai district.

Udhayakumar said Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in March this year had announced that all toll plazas, which were within 60 km of each other on national highways, would be removed in the next three months.

The Union Minister announced that there would be only one toll collection within 60 km distance on national highways. But, contrary to this, toll plazas are functional at places, including Kodai Road, Paraipathi, Chittampatti and Kappalur, which were within 60-kilometre distance, Udhayakumar told reporters and added that a signature campaign was also under way against the operation of the toll plaza in Kappalur.

Pointing out that Chief Minister MK Stalin in his party’s poll manifesto had also promised to remove the toll plaza at Kappalur, Udhayakumar urged to remove the toll plaza immediately in the interest of road users.

Further, he said the issue was raised several times in the Assembly and was also taken to the notice of district administration, but no action has been initiated so far.

During the previous regime, led by Edappadi K Palaniswami, the then government maintained cordial relations with the Centre and allowed local residents to pass through the toll plaza without any fee. He also pointed out that legal notices were issued to certain road users to pay large amounts as arrears for using the toll plaza. Some of them were instructed to pay several lakhs of rupees as fee. All these should be cancelled.

Sources said over hundred persons were arrested and released later.