Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 20: Amid protests by cross-section of people over operationalisation of a new Toll Plaza at Sarore on Jammu-Pathankote National Highway, former minister and senior Congress leader, Dr Manohar Lal Sharma today demanded its immediate abolishment in view of the “present security and political turbulence” in the State and highlighted the resentment among the people over this decision.
The Congress leader said there is already one Toll Plaza functioning at Ban on Jammu-Udhampur highway and another has been made functional at Sarore while one more Toll Plaza on Jammu-Pathankote highway is being made functional shortly at Chhan Rorian in Kathua district. “The distance between these Toll Plazas is in violation of the prescribed distance limit. Further the Toll Plaza at Sarore is very badly designed. He said the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims have to pass through three Toll Plazas at Chhan Rorian, Sarore and Ban near Nagrota within the short distance of 120 km.
Dr Sharma lambasted BJP Government and its local leadership for playing with the sentiments of nationalist people of Jammu and said people of the area are greatly agitated and further said that three Toll Plaza on the highway, which is not only route of pilgrims but also life line to the economy of the State, especially Jammu region, is the gift of the BJP to the people who have given them huge mandate and requested for scrapping the entire plan of establishing the new Toll Plazas in Jammu region.
He said after the establishment of the new Toll Plaza at Sarore, the commuters faced long traffic snarls and expressed their anger against the Government for the decision. Terming it unjustified and unfair, DCC president Kathua, Dr Sharma said this has been done by the party which opposed the same few years back in opposition terming it ‘Jazia’ on pilgrims.
“It was abandoned by the UPA Government on public demand but now no one listens the voice of common people in the new model of democracy. Is it not ‘Jazia’ besides being unjust now?” questioned Congress leader to BJP, stating that it exposes the duplicity of BJP.
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