Mangaluru : National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which earlier notified shifting toll payable at the NITK-Surathkal Toll Plaza on NH 66 to Hejmady Toll Plaza, has notified the revised toll payable at Hejmady by adding the fee payable at Surathkal to that to be paid at Hejmady, to be effective on December 1.

Whatever fee that a motor vehicle user (other than two and three-wheelers) has been paying at Surathkal will be collected at Hejmady in addition to the fee that was already being paid at Hejmady, as per a communication from NHAI Project Director-Mangaluru to the Deputy Commissioner of Udupi district.

Project Director H.S. Linge Gowda, through his November 24 letter to the Deputy Commissioner, sought the district administration’s assistance to collect the revised fee at Hejmady that will commence shortly.

Toll for a car, for example, at Surathkal was Rs.60 for a single trip and Rs.90 for a return trip, while it was Rs.40 and Rs.65, respectively, at Hejmady. When the revised fee is given effect to, the toll payable at Hejmady for cars will go up to Rs.100 for a single trip and Rs.155 for a return trip.

Mr. Gowda told the Udupi Deputy Commissioner that there may be law and order issues at Hejmady, which is in Udupi district, when collection of the revised toll starts.

NHAI Chairman has already written to the Chief Secretary to ensure that there is no disruption or stoppage of combined toll collection at Hejmady. He has also informed the State government that in case there is any loss due to disruption/ stoppage of toll collection at Hejmady, the State government is liable to reimburse it as per the State Support Agreement between NHAI and the State government, Mr. Gowda pointed out.

He urged the Deputy Commissioner to arrange for necessary police protection at Hejmady Toll Plaza as the revised fee collection will commence in the early hours [00.00 hours] of December 1.
 
Responding to the revised fee at Hejmady, Surathkal Tollgate Virodhi Horata Samithi Convener Muneer Katipalla has said that it is a big fraud being played on the people of coastal region. While the samithi and the people have been demanding scrapping of the Surathkal Toll Plaza altogether, the NHAI has merely merged it with that of Hejmady taking an anti-people stand.

Only those people’s representatives who bother the least about the feeling and difficulties of people can support such a decision. Everyone should oppose this move in unison, Mr. Katipalla said.