Sarore toll plaza: Commuters stranded as transporters go on indefinite strike
Roadways bus come to rescue; NHAI’s presser today
TNN Bureau. Updated: 10/15/2019 9:32:20 AM

JAMMU: Commuters faced hardships on Monday as hundreds of private passenger vehicles went on an indefinite strike against the newly set up toll plaza at Sarore along the Jammu-Pathankot highway in Samba district.
The transporters also staged a protest at general bus stand here and threatened 'chakka jam' in the entire Jammu if their demand for abolishment of the toll plaza was not met immediately.
In a bid to assuage the public resentment, the NHAI has scheduled a press conference on Tuesday evening.
The toll plaza at Sarore was inaugurated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on October 11, drawing a strong reaction from the people from all sections of the society and political parties including the BJP which had written a two-page letter to the Union transport ministry seeking abolishment of the toll plaza.
To protest the move, the transporters including the bus operators on Jammu-Kathua route went on an indefinite strike from Monday.
"All the private operators plying their vehicles on Kathua-Jammu route suspended indefinitely their operations from Monday. We are being charged Rs 225 for a single side crossing.
“We are not in a position to pay toll tax given the increase in insurance, permit, fine on traffic violation and fuel prices," president Bus Union Kuldeep Singh told reporters while leading a demonstration at the Jammu bus stand.
He alleged that the drivers and conductors were being abused and harassed by the toll plaza contractor and his staff.
"If the toll plaza was not abolished immediately, we will go for chakka jam across the Jammu region," Singh said seeking intervention of Governor Satya Pal Malik in the matter.
Vijaypur Matador Association and Kathua Bus Service Association also staged a protest in Samba and Kathua districts against the setting up of toll plaza and demanded its immediate abolishment.
Thousands of commuters across the region including government employees and students faced hardships in moving from a place to another.
Their respite was government buses from J&K, Punjab, Himachal and Haryana Roadways, who were seen making frequent and unprecedented stops on the highway for people stranded on the road.
“We had a very important assignment in college today. Due to the strike, we couldn’t go to class. Our education is being penalised because of this,” a group of students of GGM science college, stranded at Samba Bus Stand told The News Now.
Another family which was seen waiting at Vijaypur had this to say: “We had to attend a marriage in Ghagwal but we are left waiting here for past 1 hour. We are not sure if we can get any mode of conveyance to reach there at time.”
“They tell us it is to protest the toll plaza. The government must resolve this issue at the earliest so that common people like us does not suffer,” Amir Chand said.
Activists of the National Panthers Party (NPP) led by party chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh also staged a demonstration at Exhibition Ground in the city and raised slogans against the BJP and the NHAI for setting up the toll plaza in violation of the rules.
"It was the saffron party which in opposition vociferously opposed the installation of the toll plaza and vandalised the structure at the proposed site near Sarore on the pretext of 'jazia' levied upon the people of Jammu.
"Is this a new form of 'kesari jazia' imposed on us by you after forming the government at the Centre? Is this the reason the people have overwhelmingly mandated you for trampling their aspirations?" Singh asked.
Pertinently, the commuters passing through the toll plaza in a car or other Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) have to pay Rs 65 for one-way journey and Rs 100 for return journey while in the case of mini bus or Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV), Rs 110 are charged one-way journey and Rs 160 for return journey.
For buses and trucks the toll is Rs 225 for one side journey and Rs 340 for return journey.
For the locals residing within 20 kilometers distance of the plaza, the authorities are issuing a monthly pass for Rs 265 but with only one counter set up to cater to commuters, majority of people are returning without monthly passes being issued.
Meanwhile, the NHAI has scheduled a press conference on Tuesday evening.
“Ajay Kumar Rajak, Project Director, PIU-Jammu will be addressing and briefing the media persons about the Toll Plaza on Tuesday, 4 pm,” an NHAI official said.
Sources said that some important decisions and announcements regarding the curtailment in toll plaza could be made in tomorrow’s presser so as to assuage the public resentment.


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