BJP MP Pratap Simha hits out at Oppn on Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway toll row

BJP MP Pratap Simha on Wednesday addressed allegations levelled by opposition leaders over the 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway and its toll collection.

Published on: Mar 17, 2023, 16:07:34 IST

By Yamini C S

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Kodagu Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who played a vital role in sanctioning the ambitious Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway project from the union transport and highway department, on Wednesday clapped back at opposition leaders who levelled several allegations over its toll fee.

BJP MP Pratap Simha took a dig at the Congress' statement's that the project is still ‘incomplete'.

The Congress had claimed that toll is being charged even when no facilities are given, hinting at the incomplete service road. To this, Simha clarified that no toll is charged for service roads. The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, recently inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi, has 10 lanes, of which six are part of the carriageway and the rest are service roads.

READ | KSRTC hikes bus fares from Bengaluru to Mysuru: Report

He also took a dig at Congress MP DK Suresh's remarks that PM Modi inaugurated an ‘incomplete project’ as an ‘election stunt’, and said only the service roads are yet to be finished, which were delayed as there is a court case going over the matter.

“We are taking measures to provide service roads all along the expressway. There is no uninterrupted service road anywhere on any other highway or expressway in the country. Take NICE road or Tumkur road for example, they don't have service roads,” he said. Simha also pointed out that tolls have been charged even on PWD-constructed highways for a long time.

JD(S) protests against toll charges for motorists

The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway has been in the news for several controversies after toll collection began on March 14, with protests from both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) against the allegedly high toll fees charged for motorists.

The JD(S) held a protest on Thursday at the expressway's Kaniminike toll plaza by blocking the road, after which several workers were detained by police. Visuals shared by several on social media showed huge crowds gathered at the toll plaza, with several sitting in the middle of the expressway. Many protestors also raised slogans demanding justice.

Former CM HD Kumaraswamy's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, spoke to reporters and said, “The decision to charge a toll on this highway is absolutely ridiculous. The service road is not open and they have already started collecting tolls. There is no primary healthcare centre, and no toilets on the highway all these facilities should be there per the NHAI guidelines.”

“Unnecessary politicisation of toll collection”: says CM Bommai

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in this matter said "unnecessary politicisation" is the reason behind the protests against toll collection on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway.

"Before NHAI came in, everyone knew it would be a toll road. It is being politicised, especially by Congress president D K Shivakumar, not the common people. His use of language, his conduct won't bring respect to Kannadigas," Bommai said.

“We are going by law, we will not do anything against the law, we have allowed vehicles on service roads at several places and there is no toll there. Unnecessarily it is being politicised,” he added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

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