The Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) has threatened to force open the Direct-Noida-Delhi (DND) toll plaza from May 9 demanding reduction of toll charges on the stretch. Simultaneously, it has also demanded free commuting provision on the expressway for farmers of Western Uttar Pradesh due to their poor condition.
Apart from this, it said that the vehicular density has increased manifold during the last few years and accordingly, the toll charges should be slashed.
Rakesh Tikait, general secretary of the BKU, said that the union is all set to free the DND plaza against the monopoly of the toll authority. "We have placed our demands before the concerned authorities and have discussed the issue with the commissioner of Meerut on Wednesday. We will forcefully make the flyway free for the users from Thursday onwards," he said adding that although at the time of opening of the plaza, authorities had assured that the toll charges would be reduced in future with the increasing volume of vehicles on the stretch, but the rates have been rising and it not only unjustified, but unacceptable.
He further said the BKU wants no toll for farmers of the region as they are already reeling under price-rise and inflation, and they cannot bear the burden of toll charges in such circumstances. "It is totally unfair that the people of the country pay toll charger for using roads while it is Governments' responsibility to construct roads for their citizens. Although the matter is under litigation at the Allahabad High Court, the toll authority increased the toll charges from April this year," added Tikait.
A senior administrative official said that the district administration is not aware of their (BKU) move, but is well prepared to tackle any threat posed by the farmers' organisation. "Eventhough we have not received any warning in written in this regard, we are all set to avert such incidents. We have already asked city police to deploy additional forces on the stretch so that the farmers could not create a ruckus at the DND flyway in near future," said Sanjay Chauhan, City Magistrate, Noida.
Earlier, on April 4, hundreds of farmers under the banner of BKU had forced open the DND toll plaza that resulted in a massive traffic jam at the entire carriageway between Ashram Chowk in Delhi to Film City in Noida. Due to the stir, traffic was chocked and its cascading effect was measured on the city roads. They had forcibly freed the plaza for nearly 40 minutes and warned the DND authority to capture the plaza, if their demands were not met immediately. The traffic was managed after intervention of the Noida Authority and Noida Traffic Police.