Farmers' group against toll collection
18 Jun 2012 1:23 AM GMT
Farmers' advocacy organisation Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti [VJAS] Sunday lent its support to the ongoing protest against toll collection across the state led by Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena [MNS].
'We fully support the stir against rampant corruption and massive exploitation at all toll collection booths throughout Maharashtra and demanded the probe into high toll rates here,' said Kishor Tiwari, president of VJAS.
Quoting a study by Transport Corporation of India and IIM Calcutta, Tiwari said that slow truck speeds on highways and delays at toll plazas are costing the country about Rs 60,000 crore a year.Â
'But what is more shocking is that more than Rs 60,000 crore a year is been collected by the BOT [build-operate-transfer] operators through unjustified and unlawful levy from innocent transporters,' he alleged.
Tiwari said that it is shocking that a car owner driving from Nagpur to Hyderabad on the National Highway 7 faces 12 toll booths and ends up paying Rs 750 as toll charges.
'Last year, social activist Anna Hazare had demanded closure of all toll booths and threatened a stir. Over 27 toll booths were shut down, but they were reopened only within three months,' Tiwari said. 'This clearly speaks of the unholy nexus between political parties,' he added.
VJAS demanded a committee be set up to look into the 'Tollgate' and claimed that scam will be bigger than 'Coal-gate' scam.
'We fully support the stir against rampant corruption and massive exploitation at all toll collection booths throughout Maharashtra and demanded the probe into high toll rates here,' said Kishor Tiwari, president of VJAS.
Quoting a study by Transport Corporation of India and IIM Calcutta, Tiwari said that slow truck speeds on highways and delays at toll plazas are costing the country about Rs 60,000 crore a year.Â
'But what is more shocking is that more than Rs 60,000 crore a year is been collected by the BOT [build-operate-transfer] operators through unjustified and unlawful levy from innocent transporters,' he alleged.
Tiwari said that it is shocking that a car owner driving from Nagpur to Hyderabad on the National Highway 7 faces 12 toll booths and ends up paying Rs 750 as toll charges.
'Last year, social activist Anna Hazare had demanded closure of all toll booths and threatened a stir. Over 27 toll booths were shut down, but they were reopened only within three months,' Tiwari said. 'This clearly speaks of the unholy nexus between political parties,' he added.
VJAS demanded a committee be set up to look into the 'Tollgate' and claimed that scam will be bigger than 'Coal-gate' scam.
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