The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has threatened to force open the DND toll plaza from April 6 if the toll charges on the stretch were not reduced. According to the BKU, the vehicular population has increase manifold during the last few years and accordingly the toll charges should be slashed. Instead, the charges have been going up consistently, it alleged. A final decision will be taken after a meeting with the administration on April 6. Meanwhile, security was withdrawn from the DND toll plaza following the farmers’ body agreeing to talk with the administration.
BKU General Secretary Rakesh Tikait said that the union is all set to take stern measures against the monopoly of the toll authority. “We have placed our demands before the concerned authorities and will watch their move in the scheduled meeting. If our demands are not fulfilled, we will forcibly make the flyway free for the users,” he said, adding the authorities had earlier promised to slash the toll charges given the increasing volume of vehicles on the stretch but the rates have been rising gradually that is unjustified and unacceptable.
He said that the BKU will also approach the UP Chief Minister on April 8 and will request him to free all toll plazas of Uttar Pradesh as it is totally unfair that the people of the country pay toll chargers for using roads while it is Governments’ responsibility to construct roads for their citizens. “Though the matter is under litigation at the Allahabad High Court, there was no need to take such step by the toll operator. Toll users are already paying heavy charges due to increase in toll rates in November last year,” added Tikait.
It would be important to recall that a few activists of BKU reached DND flyway on Tuesday asking the officials to free toll plaza for all type of motorists. After declining their move by the operator, the activists raised protests at the flyway and warned to agitate against the concerned authorities in coming days. The normal condition was restored after an interference of Noida Authority and local police later.
A senior administrative official said that the district administration is taking their threat (BKU) seriously so they could not create ruckus in the vicinity of the entire carriageway in near future. “After talking with the representatives of BKU, we are planning to convene separate meetings with all concerned bodies before a common meeting that is scheduled on April 6,” said Sanjay Chauhan, City Magistrate, Noida.