Intensifying their protest against toll collection at the DND toll plaza, the local organisations of Noida have threatened to make toll plazas free from April 8. The organisations, which claim to have support of major political parties and farmers’ bodies, said that their representatives have met the UP Chief Minister and his Cabinet ministers several times over for putting an end to toll collection across the region but no actions have been taken as of yet. Angry over recent hikes in toll rates on the Yamuna Expressway, the farmers’ unions have separately announced a protest on Monday.
The members of Janhit Morcha, a body, which represents social groups and RWAs, said that the organisation has been demanding toll-free ride on DND flyway for farmers and locals of the area. The organisation has also demanded a cessation on toll collection on DND flyway for users of all categories. The body said that they have protested more than a dozen times earlier but this will be their final agitation. They are expecting to be joined by around 2,000 to 3000 people during the protest that will block the key roads, including the DND flyway on Wednesday this week.
Nawab Singh Naagar, a former MLA and office bearer of the organisation, said that scores of locals personally met Akhilesh Yadav and other Ministers for removing toll plazas from the region and even the UP Chief Minister had assured of appropriate steps in this regard. “Since no further development has been made by the UP Government, the organisation has convened a meet with representatives of social organisations, RWA bodies and local politicians wherein it was decided to start a fresh agitation. We have asked people to join us in huge numbers so that we could force open the plaza for all commuters,” said Naagar.
NP Singh, president of Federation of Noida Residents Welfare Association (FoNRWA) said that the residents’ body has moved to High Court and have demanded ban on toll collection on the lines of Gurgaon toll plaza and will participate in the agitation also.