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Regular-article-logo Sunday, 06 July 2025

Toll protest continues

An almost two-month protest against the national highway toll cess collection has become a cause of bother for the district administration.

Our Correspondent Published 10.01.18, 12:00 AM

Keonjhar: An almost two-month protest against the national highway toll cess collection has become a cause of bother for the district administration.

The demonstration at Banajodi toll plaza complex, about 7km from the district headquarters township, on Tuesday entered its 55th day.

The agitation continues with protesters insisting that they will continue with their demonstration till the highway authorities shift the toll plaza.

The NHAI guidelines specify that the distance between two toll collection centres should not be less than 70km. However, the authorities concerned have come up with two gates within 45km.

Despite the administration's commitment to put to an end the arbitrary taxation, the toll collection continues, much to the chagrin of the local people. The agitation against the toll cess has triggered law and order issues on several occasions. The protesters have also resorted to disrupting traffic by squatting on the road. The police had a tough task in convincing the people to withdraw the road blockade. However the agitation has so far been by and large peaceful, said sub-divisional police officer Sriharsha Mishra. To protect the people from Keonjhar from additional tax payment, the state government's commercial transport department had asked the NHAI to relocate it to another spot, but no steps to that effect have been taken, said Nrusingha Charan Swain, project director of the District Rural Development Agency.

The policy decision in this regard lies solely with the NHAI. Its Odisha unit is also not authorised to withdraw the toll gate. It has informed the Union surface transport ministry about the situation.

An NHAI official said: "We have written to the higher-ups on the ongoing public agitation. We are yet to receive any communication from the ministry."

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