Toll gate to be shifted to New Mangalore Port: Kateel

The toll gate on National Highway 66 at Surathkal will be shifted to the New Mangalore Port and the toll will be collected only from those vehicles that enter the port, stated a release from the office of Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Following the uproar over the toll plaza on NH 66 at Surathkal, a meeting was convened by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to discuss the toll gate at Surathkal with MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and officials in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The shifting or merger of the Surathkal toll gate was discussed in the meeting.

It was decided that as the toll gate was causing inconveniences to people, it will be shifted to the premises of New Mangalore Port. The minister said that toll should be collected from those vehicles that enter the port, stated the release.

The minister also directed officials to upgrade Mani–Sampaje Road into a four-lane road.

Meanwhile, the Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samiti has planned a padayatra from Hejmadi toll gate to Surathkal toll gate on NH 66 demanding the closure of the toll plaza at Surathkal on March 22.

Samiti Convener Muneer Katipalla said, “Our fight will continue till an order on shifting the toll inside the New Mangalore Port is issued by the government.”