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Rajput leaders urge Lieutenant Governor to take quick decision on Sarore toll plaza
Yuva Rajput Sabha president Vikram Singh has appealed to the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir to make a decision on the Sarore toll plaza issue to prevent further escalation. Singh warned that protests will resume in the region if a decision is not made. The toll plaza has been the subject of ongoing protests, with leaders being arrested and released. The NHAI has stated that it does not have the authority to exempt tolls.
Yuva Rajput Sabha president Vikram Singh on Tuesday appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor and administration to take an early decision over Sarore toll plaza and stop the matter from escalation. He said that protests will resume in the region if a decision is not taken into the matter.
At least 26 Sabha leaders, including Vikram Singh and former president Happy Singh, were arrested from Sarore toll plaza on August 21. After a successful Jammu bandh on August 26, the administration had released the jailed leaders on August 27.
“We took up the cause of the people of Jammu and brought administration to its knees. On the day we were freed, the administration had promised to resolve the issue within two days. The deadline ended today and we appeal the administration to take an early decision ,” Singh added.
He said that if the administration fails to take a decision, there will be a large-scale agitation in the region.
The region has been seeing protests for closure of the toll plaza, with the first major strike on August 1.
“Some people are raising doubts on us that after our release. They say that we have entered into a deal with the administration. Let me tell them that we would sacrifice our lives and not step back at any cost till our demands are met,” he said.
He added that if National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) does not resolve the issues, they will take to streets again. “We hope that Union minister Jitendra Singh, who is a Dogra, takes up the matter with NHAI,” he added.
Sabha leader Lucky Sambyal, who is on hunger strike with nearly a dozen members in Samba town, has taken ill and shifted to Government Medical College and Hospital, Jammu.
“If anything happens to our brother Lucky, administration will be held responsible,” said an activist part of the hunger strike in Samba.
All Jammu and Kashmir transporters welfare association, which had stayed away from Jammu bandh, has postponed its “Chakka jam” to Thursday (August 31) in view of Raksha Bandhan festival.
The association said that a strike will be organised on Friday and a protest rally will be taken out.
We don’t have authority to exempt toll: NHAI official
A two-member team of NHAI, led by member (project) Sudip Choudhary, inspected the damaged Tarnah Bridge on Jammu-Pathnakot national highway and Sarore toll plaza on Tuesday. Two pillars of the bridge over Tarnah Nullah in Kathua district were damaged in recent rains.
Choudhary said, “I won’t be able to comment over exempting toll (at Sarore plaza). There’s a policy and we don’t have the authority to exempt toll”.
He added, “We agree that this (bridge damage) has caused hardships to the commuters but Centre and NHAI are aware of the situation. We are trying to restore it at the earliest”.
“NHAI is trying to restore the bridge. The bedding has caved in but we are trying everything possible,” he added.
A regional official of the NHAI, who accompanied Choudhary, said the visiting team has inspected the damage to bridge and causeway.
“We hope to find a viable solution to the damaged bridge. A temporary causeway was constructed but it was damaged in rains. In next two to three days, provided there are no rains, we hope to make it fit for pedestrians, two wheelers and light motor vehicles. Subsequently, we will be able allow buses on it,” he said.
The NHAI team is on a three-day visit to J&K till August 31. It will submit a report to the NHAI chairperson. Subsequently, the report will be submitted to minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari.
