Mangaluru : Illegal toll collection’ at Surathkal – A proposal to merge the Surathkal and Hejamady toll plazas is awaiting approval from the competent authority.

In response to a letter sent by Vignesh Shenoy of Kundapur on ‘illegal toll collection’ at Surathkal, HS Lingegowda, DGM (tech) and project director, NHAI, PIU-Mangaluru, stated that a proposal for merging Surathkal toll plaza at kms 358.042 of NH-66 with Hejamadi toll plaza at kms 347.180 of NH-66 has been submitted to the regional office, Bengaluru, for approval of the competent authority.

The letter also stated that the Surathal toll plaza is operating as per NH’s User fee (Determination of Rates and Collection) Rules-2008, notification dated December 5, 2008.

On August 4, Shenoy had written to Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari about the two toll gates being within a distance of 11km. He said in the letter it is causing great hardship and burden to not only the employees and citizens, who have been commuting to and from various locations within the city for generations, but also to self-employed people who operate small commercial vehicles to eke out a living in these difficult times. There have been repeated promises to either merge or close the toll gate for years. However, it is learnt that the toll gate contract has been extended by three months.

“There are three toll gates operating between Mangaluru to Kundapura at the range of 85km. It is nothing but daylight robbery,” he said.