Anti-Surathkal toll plaza outfit to begin indefinite strike on October 28

Action committee convener Muneer Katipalla said that it met on Wednesday to discuss the future course of action

To force the government to shut down the Surathkal toll plaza as promised, the Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi has decided to hold an indefinite strike from October 28.

Action committee convener Muneer Katipalla said that it met on Wednesday, after the protest against the toll gate on Tuesday was successful, to discuss the future course of action. “We need to remind the government and authorities of their promise. Hence, the members decided to hold an indefinite strike (day and night) till November 7. If the authorities fail to close the toll at Surathkal even after November 7, then the committee will intensify its protest,” Katipalla said.

“The people of the undivided Dakshina Kannada district had taken part in a massive protest against the toll gate and demanded the government to stop the collection on Tuesday. In spite of that, the BJP government has shown its hypocrisy…. The police used force to disperse the protesters. This has highlighted the anti-people policy of the BJP government and Dakshin Kannada MP and MLAs,” said Katipalla.

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According to him, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, through the media, had requested the protesters to wait for 20 more days as the process of vacating the toll gate is in its final stage. Even the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had promised to solve the issue within 15 days. “People have lost faith in the assurances. As per the time given by the MP, we have decided to hold a peaceful indefinite strike till November 7. We will seek permission from the authorities and protest near the toll gate round the clock,” he said.

“Public opinion will be collected through an indefinite strike, and authorities will be pressured. We will continue our protest till the toll gate is vacated,” Katipalla asserted.

Thousands of protesters had marched towards the Surathkal toll gate on Tuesday, demanding the NHAI stop toll collection. They had said the gazette notification for the toll plaza was issued in 2013. Its contract renewal continued even after Union minister Nithin Gadkari announced in March that all toll plazas functioning on national highways within 60 km of each other would be closed in three months.

Deputy Leader of Opposition in Assembly U T Khader has urged the Deputy Commissioner to convene a meeting of NHAI officials and elected representatives immediately to discuss the Surathkal toll plaza issue.

“When I had raised the issue of the toll in the Assembly, the government had accepted that it was an illegal toll plaza and had sought time to solve the technical issues related to the toll before vacating it. The DC should convene a meeting and solve the technical issues pertaining to the vacating of the toll,” he said.