Commercial vehicle operators oppose toll collection from local vehicles at Sasthana Toll plaza on NH 66 in Udupi

Strike in Kota ZP against toll collection on NH 66 halted by MP Poojary, resolution meeting scheduled for December 30.

Owners and drivers of commercial vehicles and general public of Kota Zila Panchayat constituency limits resorted to strike opposing toll collection for their vehicles on Sunday (December 22, 2024) at the Sasthana Toll Plaza on Kochi-Panvel National Highway 66 in Udupi district.

Intervening in the protest, Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary asked Deputy Commissioner K. Vidyakumari to direct the highway concessionaire to put the decision on hold till December 30, 2024, by which time the issue should be resolved.

Commercial vehicle operators within the Kota ZP constituency were aghast that the concessionaire at the Sasthana toll plaza began demanding toll charges from them. Hitherto, local vehicles, private as well as commercial, were exempt from paying toll charges through an unwritten understanding between the concessionaire, the National Highways Authority of India and the district administration.

Intervening in the protest at the toll plaza on Sunday, Mr. Poojary told the DC that vehicles plying in and around Sasthana, including Brahmavara, Saligrama and Kota, were forced to pay the toll. Even those transporting fish or those going to fuel stations to fill fuel, had to pay the toll. The NHAI should have constructed service roads adjacent to the toll plaza for local vehicles; but it had not done so, he said.

Jurisdictional police officers and Kundapura Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Chandra intervened and defused the situation. Mr. Poojary said a meeting would be called at the DC office on December 30 to resolve the issue. Till then, toll collection from local commercial vehicles should be kept on hold. Following this, vehicle owners and drivers withdrew the protest.