Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Feb 14: Expressing serious concern over the proposed move of National Highway Authority to levy user charges on vehicles plying on Jammu-Lakhanpur and Jammu-Udhampur stretch, Provincial President Devender Singh Rana today opposed the anti-people measure, saying it will put the commuters, pilgrims and tourists in an avoidable additional burden.
“It seems to be a clever move of the Centre to put the people of Jammu and Kashmir in financial strain under Governor’s Rule and save the proposed BJP-PDP Government from huge embarrassment at its take-off stage”, Mr Rana said while urging the Governor N. N Vohra not to become a party in allowing implementation of such an unpleasant measure.
He described the toll tax as BJP’s gift to the people of Jammu, who gave the party unprecedented support during the Parliamentary and Assembly elections. “This is paradoxical to the tall claims and dreams shown to the people of Jammu and Kashmir”, he maintained.
Mr Rana wondered over levying of toll tax on the Jammu stretches, even as the country-wide trend was abolishing it in order to ensure hassle free passenger movement. Secondly, he said the upgradation of National Highway is still continuing and it may take several years to complete the project up to Srinagar and therefore charging the tax is illogical. He expressed dismay over the proposed decision of the NHAI to establish toll posts at Lakhanpur, Thandi Khoi and Ban in Nagrota, terming this as unacceptable.
“Not only the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi bound pilgrims and tourists going to Kashmir will have to pay additionally, those traveling between various areas from Lakhanpur to Udhampur, in the first instance, in pursuit of their jobs and other avocations, will have to bear the brunt”, he said and sought immediate withdrawal of notification, if any issued.
The Provincial President said Jammu and Kashmir is essentially a pilgrim-cum-tourist state which needed special dispensation, especially in the wake of traumatic situation it has undergone over the years, but on the contrary the BJP led Government at the Centre was rushing to create problems for the people. “Such a move is fraught with immense financial strain to the travelling public and goods carriers, which has potential of shooting the prices of essentials and thus impacting the common people adversely”, he added. He referred to the whopping toll, running in hundreds, to goods carriers at three points and said one can only imagine the extent of increase in the prices of merchandise and other commodities to the end consumers.
While urging the NHA1 to withdraw any such proposal, Mr Rana hoped that the Governor will use his good offices to save the people of Jammu and Kashmir from such a harsh measure. “In his capacity as Chairman of Mata Vaishno Shrine Board as well, the Governor will have to safeguard the interests of millions of pilgrims thronging from various parts of the country for holy pilgrimage of Mata Vaishno Devi and Shri Amarnathji”, he said, adding that the tourism trade in Kashmir will also suffer from such a harsh measure.
The Provincial President hoped that good sense will prevail upon the Ministry of Surface Transport and the service providers to desist from such a move, which is against the interests of common masses.
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