Udupi: The locals along with the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) members protested at the Hejamady and Sasthan toll gates on Thursday, August 16, against the collection of toll charges from local vehicles.
Hundreds of protesters gathered at the toll booths to protest the collection of toll charges from KA 20 registered vehicles, which is why the toll booths were operating under police protection today.
The protesters demanded that the contracting company, as well as the district administration, should not collect toll from the commuters before completing the construction. The construction work of several service roads, the flyovers at Karavali junction at Udupi and Padubidri road are still pending. The stretch of NH 66 from Padubidri to Kundapur has a number of potholes which makes it very difficult to drive and has also caused several accidents.
At Padubidri, the protesters, as well as the police, got involved in a heated argument. Hejmady toll officer Ravi Babu said that the state government had asked them to collect the toll fare and that they were acting accordingly. He also informed that the construction company had requested police protection during the collection of toll.
As of now, the collection of toll charges has been withdrawn till tomorrow evening. Udupi Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis will conduct a meeting with the highway officials and leaders of the protesters on August 17 evening to resolve the issue.
