Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 19: Demanding immediate suspension of Sarore Toll Plaza to provide relief to the commuters plying vehicles on the Jammu- Pathankot National Highway Jammu and Kashmir BJP today said that the people should not be made to suffer as the National Highway is in very bad condition.
NH as well as service roads are in a dilapidated condition and need immediate repairing and travelling through it as well as service roads has become time consuming and commuters are facing many hardships, BJP vice president and former Minister, Surjeet Singh Salathia told reporters here, today.
He was accompanied by BJP general secretary, Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal, former Minister, Chander Parkash Ganga and party spokesperson, Y.V. Sharma during the press conference.
Surjeet Singh Salathia said that travelling through the National Highway and the service lines has become time consuming and the commuters are facing problems while covering even small distances. Earlier, one could cover 30 kilometers distance in just half an hour but now same distance is being covered in 2-3 hours, thus causing inconvenience to the people.
For what should people pay toll when there is no proper road facility, he questioned?
He said that the BJP has already taken up the matter with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). Lok Sabha, MP Jugal Kishore Sharma too has written letter to the Union Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari appealing to look into the matter and has sought his immediate intervention.
Salathia said that the BJP has always stood up with the general public and worked towards mitigating their sufferings. He assured that every effort will be made by the party to ensure that the people get quality road network and expressed hope that the NHAI will take a decision to immediately suspend the Sarore Toll Plaza.
Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal said that people are facing many problems due to the present condition of roads and still they are made to pay the Toll, which is not justified at this juncture. The NHAI should provide alternate safe and smooth road to the public, which is mandatory condition in all the tender works of the roads. Whenever there is construction of new road, the contractor/company is bound to provide this facility, which is not provided in this case, he added.
He said the NHAI should make sure that it is providing the smooth roadways and then only charge the tax at the Plaza.
Chander Parkash Ganga said that the matter was also taken up by him three months ago through a letter addressed to MoS, V.K. Singh.
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