Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party(JKAP) leader Rafi Ahmad Mir on Monday censured the government for a hike in road tax levied on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway at Awantipora, Nashree-Chenani Tunnel and Unhampur toll plazas and demanded immediate abolition of such avoidable tolls.
In a statement, Mir said imposing and increasing the road tolls will further alienate masses at a time when the government was expected to provide some succor to the people battling for their survival amid COVID19 pandemic.
“The increase in road tax would not only hamper the domestic tourism badly but would prove a heavy burden on the commuters who use this highway for a routine inter district travel,” he said.
Mir said that paying taxes was no doubt the duty of every citizen but the J&K government needs to introspect that people were passing through tough times because of the COVID19 pandemic.
He said imposition of toll tax not only penalises consumers by increasing the cost of commodities entering and exiting from J&K but also affects common people who travel on this road because of the dilapidated condition of their other alternatives.
Mir appealed the Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu to go for abolition of road tax at different toll plazas on the highway to provide a relief to the people.