Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 29: Taking a dig at those who are misleading public on establishment of Toll Plazas in Jammu region, BJP spokesperson Brig veteran Anil Gupta today said that Toll Plazas are necessary and have come on NH 44 which joins Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari for its development and upkeep.
In a statement issued here today he said Toll Plazas are established all along the National Highways which have been upgraded to four lanes and above. The distances at which these are to be set up or the tariffs to be charged including the procedure of their annual revision and list of exemptions are included in Government of India National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) regulations-2008.
“In fact, the same leaders who while travelling to Delhi or Chandigarh by road happily pay the toll tax and do not utter a word of criticism for the Punjab Government or ruling party in that State. But when same toll tax is charged on the NH 44 within J&K, they not only emotionally exploit the people for petty political gains but also create law and order problems. At a time when the nation faces twin challenge of Corona and troubled borders the whole nation needs to be united but regretfully a few political parties in the UT have chosen to create disturbances in this sensitive region,” stated Brig Gupta. Clarifying various myths and falsehood being spread to provoke the masses for petty political gains, Brig Gupta said that as per rules no two toll plazas should be setup within 60 km of the same section of the NH. While the toll plaza at Lakhanpur covers Lakhanpur-Samba section of the NH44, the one at Thandikhui covers the section Samba-Kunjwani-Jammu Bypass. Ban Toll Plaza covers the section Nagrota- Udhampur. All three toll plazas are in three different sections of NH 44. Similarly another myth that there are no Toll Plazas in the Union Territories is also completely false.
For those spreading the canard of more Toll Plazas in Jammu as compared to Kashmir, Brig Gupta advised to check the length of four-laned NH in Jammu province and compare it with Kashmir to realise that unnecessary politics is being played to create friction between the two regions. Qazigund to Srinagar is a 70 km stretch of completed NH 44 and one Toll Plaza is functional on this section at Awantipore. As soon as the Banihal-Qazigund section is completed a Toll Plaza would be setup there as well.
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