Bhubaneswar, May 31: Private bus owners have threatened to not ply their buses through the eight tollgates on various national highways in the state protesting against the state government's decision to collect toll from passengers as well as from bus owners.

"Private contractors entrusted with collection of toll tax at these gates have distributed leaflets saying that private buses have to pay toll according to the new system from tomorrow, under which passengers are also supposed to pay a part of the tax. This, despite the fact that the chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is supposed to discuss the matter with the state government on June 4. If our buses have to pay the toll tax, we would be forced to return with our vehicles from the toll gates," said general secretary of State Private Bus Operators' Association Debendra Sahu.

According to the recent notification of the state transport department issued on May 18, a passenger has to bear two-thirds the toll and the bus owner the remaining one-third.

The notification also said that toll would be collected at eight tollgates on the national highways in the state with the passengers having to pay their share ranging between Rs 3.80 and Rs 5.90.

The private bus operators have been opposing the new guideline alleging that toll collection at five of the eight tollgates was illegal.

The eight tollgates operating on the national highways in different parts of the state are at Manguli in Cuttack district, Panikoili and Srirampur in Jajpur district, Gudiapada in Khurda district, Gurapalli in Ganjam district, Seragarh in Balasore district, Bahargoda in Bargarh district and Pipili in Puri district.

Earlier, the private bus owners' association had alleged that five of these tollgates - at Manguli, Srirampur, Pipili, Panikoili and Bahargoda - were collecting the tax in violation of NHAI norms.

"These tollgates have been collecting crores of rupees annually in violation of norms. We think that the decision to collect toll from passengers is irrational because they have already collected crores of rupees illegally," said Sahu.

Of the nearly 16,000 private buses currently operating in the state, 6,000 pass through the eight tollgates daily.

Transport minister Ramesh Majhi said the government had appealed to the association not to resort to agitation.

"We have also requested the NHAI verbally to stop collecting toll tax according to the new rules from tomorrow. A meeting will be held between us and the NHAI chairman on June 4 to sort out the issue," said Majhi.