Bus owners of Malda called a strike on February 16 protesting the collection of toll tax on National Highway (NH) 34. No buses will run on NH 34 on that day.
The bus owners alleged that the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) used to earlier take Rs 110 from the buses that crossed the toll plaza and this decision was taken in a meeting where the district magistrate was a mediator.
However, all of a sudden, NHAI started to take Rs 450 from the buses. The sudden hike in the toll tax was completely unexpected and the bus owners have decided to go on a strike.
The NHAI started to take toll tax at Gazol and Baishnab Nagar's 17 Mile recently. But the bus owners alleged that NHAI has not yet completed the expansion work but have started taking the extra money from the bus owners.
"The rate of toll tax was decided in a meeting where the district magistrate was present. The bus owners agreed to give Rs 110. They should complete the infrastructure first," said Ujjal Saha, Secretary Malda Chamber of Commerce.
Bibek Das, president of Malda Progressive Bus Association, Kajal Roy, president of Malda Minibus Owners' association, secretary of Malda Minibus Owners' Association, Sovan Joardar were also present in the meeting. The bus owners have also threatened to extend their strike across Malda district.
However, in a recent report published nationwide, NHAI lost Rs 75 crore daily after demonetisation. The Central government exempted toll taxes at all the plazas after the demonetisation drive announced on November 8. The toll collection on the national highways were stopped till November 18 to avoid inconvenience to the commuters post note ban.
Many vehicle drivers suspect that the abrupt hike of the toll tax is a fallout of the demonetisation.