Udhampur civil society protests ‘overcharging’ at Ban Toll Plaza

Scores of youth from Udhampur town under the banner of Civil Society Udhampur on Sunday held a peaceful sit-in against levying of ‘extra road tax’ on local vehicles.

The protesting youth led by one Rohit Khajuria claimed thatthey are being forced to pay Rs 200 for a travel distance of 60 kilometer whichis “discriminative” in nature as “state government has recently withdrawn anorder that levied tax on vehicles in Kashmir Valley”.

   

“Aren’t we, the people of Udhampur, human being? Why wepeople are being made to pay extra tax and why not the people of Kashmir Valleyeven paying tax? In Jammu’s Samba district, an under-construction toll plazawas vandalized to get rid of road tax. What this government wants us to do-damage public properties or resort to violence in our protests?” said RohitKhajuria.

Recently, after people, particularly local residents,resented levying of tax at Sangam by NHAI, Governor Satya Pal Malik had hadassured that there will be no tax for the local residents.

“There won’t be any toll tax on the locals. We have taken upthe issue with the central government but due to the ongoing election processthings have slowed up a bit,” Governor had said while inaugurating the gridlock separator in Srinagar.

However, toll is still being charged uniformly at Sangam andlocals are waiting for May 23 when the MCC will end.  

Khajuria said that people of Udhampur and Katra towns arenot even asking for complete waiver of road tax “but this government shoulddirect the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to at least ensure thatpeople are not overcharged”.

Khajuria further said that nowhere across the nation, peopleare paying Rs 200 for a to-and-fro journey of 30-60 kilometer each, “then whythe people of Udhampur, Katra and Jammu are being harassed in the name of tolltax?”

Another protester, Rohit took on Jammu politicians for their”criminal silence” on issues of Jammu interest.

 “They come to us forour votes only. They’re least concerned over our issues,” he added.

The protesters warned that if NHAI doesn’t stop overchargingthey will intensify their protest in the days to come and for all therepercussions, only government would be responsible.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

four × 1 =