Kherki Daula toll stays if industries don’t pay: Govt
The government said the industries had earlier agreed to share financial liabilities of Rs 200 crore.
The removal of Kherki Daula toll plaza on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway will depend on industries in Manesar as the state government wants them to pay a share of the buy off package to settle matters with the concessionaire operating the toll. The government has made it clear that the toll would not be removed if the industries back track from paying their share.
The government said the industries had earlier agreed to share financial liabilities of Rs 200 crore. The government had constituted a high-level committee headed by chief secretary of Haryana DS Dhesi to resolve the Kherki Daula toll issue. However, the industries later refused to pay the share.
The Kherki Daula toll plaza is being run by a private operator appointed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). The operator collects toll. The toll plaza has become a choke point on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway and the Manesar industries have been demanding its removal for long.
“After all this, the industries have refused to share financial liabilities, and, in that case, it would be difficult for the government to resolve the issue. I appeal to all beneficiaries to join hands in order to pay off the toll plaza concessionaire as its the removal is essential for smooth industrial growth,” Devender Singh, principal secretary, industry, Haryana government, said.
“Financial liabilities have been a big constraint and that is why it was decided earlier that the three beneficiaries will share Rs 600 crore equally. I doubt the state government would be able to remove the toll plaza in the current scenario (when industries are backing out),” Singh said.
Singh said after the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) board meeting on January 26, the CM gave the nod to form a committee so that shareholders can work out a formula to share financial burden to buy off the toll plaza from the NHAI.
The two industrial associations of Manesar -- Manesar Industry Welfare Association (MIWA) and IMT Manesar Industrial Welfare Association (IMT-IWA) have demanded an audit into the accounts of the concessionaire.
“We have written to the Haryana government to order an audit into the accounts of the concessionaire operating the Kherki Daula toll plaza,” Manoj Tyagi, general secretary, IMT Manesar Industrial Association, said. The audit is urgently required in this regard, he said.