Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, July, 20
Former Minister and senior Congress leader Raman Bhalla on Monday appealed the government to reconsider their decision to install two new Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur and Jammu-Akhnoor highway.“We strongly condemn the move to install two Toll Plazas at Akhnoor in Jammu-Akhnoor highway and Lakhanpur which is unjustified and has over burdened the middle class and self employees,” Bhalla said. Bhalla expressed his serious concern over the way the Toll Plazas are being imposed on the people of Jammu who have already opposed the same in Sarore in Samba district and Ban area in Nagrota.“The local commuters are being compelled to pay the toll in these plazas which is unjustified and it is a deliberate attempt to put financial burden on the middle class when entire world is fighting against pandemic novel coronavirus,” said Bhalla. He said that generally toll is collected from the commuters on the highway from outside but local commuters have been put to unnecessary harassment to make revenue from them.“People have already rejected the already established two Toll Plazas in Jammu, and there is strong resentment among the people. The Government must understand what people want,” he said. He said, “The Jammu people feel cheated with the installation of two more Toll Plazas and there is a general feeling among people of not being heard by the authorities concerned even as they have raised their concern through various means.”The Government must understand the pulse of the people as it has become one of the main concerns for the Jammuites. It is not going to be tolerated anymore, he added. He appealed to the Government to reconsider their decision and avoid installation of toll plazas.
Bhalla asked BJP J&K leadership to come clear on their statements issued in recent years over the opening of toll plazas across Jammu and Kashmir.All the claims of BJP leadership seem hollow and blown out of imagination as more and more toll plazas are being open.” he said.Hitting hard at BJP government at Union Govt for befooling people of Jammu and Kashmir, Bhalla said that BJP announced a four lane highway from Jammu to Poonch in 2014 polls but work has now started only on Jammu Akhnoor stretch with reports revealing that the project of four lane from Akhnoor to Poonch has been going on at snail’s place.Former Minister on Monday interacted with prominent persons of Ward -57, Model Town in Gandhi Nagar constituency to listen to their grievances. Prominent among those p[resent on the occasion include Corporator Inderjeet Kour, Block President SS Dutt, Rajinder Singh, Surjeet Singh Davinder Singh, Harbansh Singh, Madan Lal, Ashok Kumar, Ramesh Choudhary Janak Lal, Hans Raj beside others.This is an act of BJP which shows party’s ill treatment with the people of Rajouri and Poonch who voted for a four lane highway from Jammu to Poonch and have received a toll plaza in return now.” Bhalla said.He appealed to Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, GC Murmu to come forward and to revert decision for opening of toll plaza at Akhnoor as it shall badly affected the common masses who travel on the road.
Bhalla said that generally toll is collected from the commuters on the highway from outside but local commuters have been put to unnecessary harassment to make revenue from them.“People have already rejected the already established two Toll Plazas in Jammu, and there is strong resentment among the people. The Government must understand what people want,” he said.He said, “The Jammu people feel cheated with the installation of two more Toll Plazas and there is a general feeling among people of not being heard by the authorities concerned even as they have raised their concern through various means.”The Government must understand the pulse of the people as it has become one of the main concerns for the Jammuites. It is not going to be tolerated anymore, he added.Bhalla termed the proposal “organised loot” by the BJP. “People of Jammu are being used by the BJP. Unemployment is at its peak and now, new taxes are being imposed on the people. To me, this is organised loot. This is extortion. People of Jammu are angry. BJP will soon face the consequences of such a decision,” said Bhalla.
Bhalla further said that in October, Jammu had witnessed a series of protests, under the banner ‘Toll Satyagrah’, with locals hitting the streets demanding the abolition of Sarore Toll Plaza along Jammu-Pathankot highway in Samba district. The Sarore toll plaza was reportedly constructed against the norms set by the National Highway Authority. It allegedly stands in violation of the prescribed distance limit set by NHAI and is still operational.The close proximity of toll plazas has put a burden on the locals who have to pay multiple taxes for travelling even shorter distances. “By establishing two plazas on the same road, they are minting money.
How much tax should they pay for plying on the same road?” asked Bhalla.Commuters are overcharged at the Ban toll plaza on Jammu-Udhampur highway. As per the recently revised rates, the light vehicles including car/jeeps/van and LMVs will have to pay Rs 135 for single journey and Rs 200 for return within 24 hours. Not only common people, but the traders and the transporters who were already struggling to cope with the continued hike in fuel prices are feeling the additional heat by the introduction of these toll plazas.
Bhalla further said that while passing through different toll plazas in Punjab, Haryana, we pay reasonable and affordable amounts. But in Jammu, the rates are much higher. Now with the addition of new plazas, imagine how much more we will have to pay. He added, this will result in a hike of passenger fare which means that a commuter using a passenger vehicle will have to spill a few additional bucks from his pocket. He termed the decision of installing additional plazas as inducing “economic subjugation” of the common masses. He pointed out that a common man is already paying multiple layers of taxes for using a vehicle, i.e. 15 years of advance road tax while purchasing a vehicle, cess on petrol/diesel, and toll taxes for using highways. The real face of BJP stands exposed. Jammuites had voted for BJP expecting development, but they are witnessing that administration is making money from their pockets,” said Bhalla.“I fail to understand the Centre is ruled by the BJP. Currently, we don’t have the government and everything is run by the Centre. Yet, BJP in J&K is not able to abolish the toll plazas. They are just fooling people,” said Bhalla.
He asked the authorities concerned on what basis they have install another Toll Plaza in Akhnoor within the radius of 60 Km which is a sheer violation of norms. Bhalla while quoting the guideline of NHAI, said “Any other Toll Plaza on the same section of National Highway and in the same direction shall not be established within a distance of 60 kilometers.”He asked J&K BJP leadership not to take J&K people for granted as they had given a massive mandate to you (BJP) two-times in 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections so it’s your moral responsibility to address public issues. Former Minister said that BJP Government’s tenure so far is marked by gross non-delivery, acknowledged failure to fulfill the promises made with the people of J&K and a betrayal of the people, particularly the poor, disadvantaged and the unemployed. Bhalla said that this Government till now has lacked the vision to galvanize economic growth and has chosen instead to create a smokescreen making boastful claims.“The BJP which claims to be the champion of Jammu people has betrayed the mandate of the people by taking U-turn on all vital commitments made with the people of J&K, especially Jammu region,” Bhalla said.“Except for pursuing anti-people policies, Government has bade farewell to development and governance”, Bhalla said.
Former Minister slammed BJP Govt for ignoring innocent poor people on all fronts, when the whole country is going through very serious problems of Covid-19 crisis. He alleged that the BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir has become a “non-performing liability” and said the administration must come out of deep slumber to infuse responsiveness and accountability in order to mitigate the sufferings of the people.”The people of Jammu are experiencing difficulties due to the shortage of electricity, erratic water supply and scarcity of ration,” he said. “The people have to struggle hard to get their basic amenities because the BJP dispensation is not paying due attention towards essential services such as road connectivity, providing ration to the people, health care, and water and electricity supplies,” he added. Former Minister said the BJP government is not conducive for Jammu and Kashmir as it has harmed more than doing any good to sensitive J&K. He alleged that the BJP government has failed to manage the internal and external security of the country in its six years at the Centre.BJP is trying to delude people by spreading misleading information and its claims that it has control over terrorism in the country is “far from reality”, he alleged.”In the last six years, the BJP government’s ignorance to internal and external security issues has resulted in rise in terror incidents,” Bhalla said.”
