No decision taken at Kappalur toll issue peace meeting

Kappalur Tollgate Opposition Organization members walk out of meeting over toll fee issue, demanding removal of tollgate.

Members of Kappalur Tollgate Opposition Organisation on Monday walked out of a peace committee meeting convened to discuss the toll fee issue. The meeting held at the Collector office here was headed by Madurai Collector M.S. Sangeetha. 

Following a day-long-protest held by the people along with politicians at Kappalur toll gate last week, which saw the blockade of the national highway, a peace committee meeting was conducted by the district administration on Monday.  

The Collector, Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration P. Moorthy, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials, police, people’s representatives’, among others, attended the meeting to discuss the problem and arrive at a solution.  

Hameed Raja, organiser of the organisation, attended the meeting and said their only demand was removal of the tollgate from its present location, which was within two km from Tirumangalam.  “Mr. Moorthy told us that a permanent solution would take time to process, and until then, exemption for vehicles within 10 km of Tirumangalam to pass the toll would be assured.”  

But NHAI officials, who refused to accept the Minister’s suggestion, said they wanted the people to register their vehicles for a monthly pass of ₹340. “They said they will exempt commercial vehicles from paying toll fee, but it is of no use for a place like Tirumangalam, where the total commercial vehicles would not cross above 500,” Mr. Raja said. 

Further, NHAI officials wanted to register the Registration Certificate (RC) of the vehicle with them. “But why should people do that and would not it be infringing upon the people’s rights,” he asked.