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BKU activists demolish disused toll plaza building in Mansa
The plaza on the Bhawanigarh-Kotshamir route never got operational, and the matter is subjudice in Punjab and Haryana high court
Led by Bhartiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda) activists, villagers demolished a disused toll plaza building at Dhaipai village in Mansa district on Thursday.
A large number of protesters, including women, gathered near the toll plaza situated near Bhikhi town with a JCB machine and other equipment to raze the structure. BKU activists threatened to demolish another toll plaza structure near Ghumman Kalan village that is also non-functional in the next phase.
Protesters said the toll buildings were non-functional and were causing inconvenience to commuters at night, and the accidents had become a regular feature on the spot.
Mansa senior superintendent of police (SSP) Nanak Singh said a part of the building at Dhaipai was damaged by the mob and legal action will be initiated in the case.
“Punjab and Haryana high court had granted a stay on the demolition of the toll booth complex. Police teams were immediately rushed to the site and widespread damage was averted. We have asked the public works department (PWD) to lodge a complaint. Due action will be initiated against the culprits,” the SSP said.
PWD executive engineer of Sangrur division Ajit Pal Singh Brar declined to comment on the scale of damage to the building.
“A report in this regard was submitted to the administration today,” Brar said. Mansa deputy commissioner Paramvir Singh was unavailable for comments.
A PWD official, on the condition of anonymity, said damaging the compound may invite contempt of court proceedings against BKU activists as the matter is subjudice in Punjab and Haryana high court.
The high court had granted a stay on the removal of the toll booth complex on the Bhawanigarh-Kotshamir via Bhikhi route on a petition filed by a private firm appointed to collect road use fees on the road.
The company had approached the court with demanded damages of ₹13 crore that it had invested in the toll plaza in 2018, but that was never operationalized.
The next date of the hearing is on February 12, 2024.
Official sources in the PWD said about 15 years ago, the Bhawanigarh-Kotshamir road was widened with a loan from the World Bank. To repay the loan, the previous Congress government decided to charge road user fees, and a firm was allocated work to collect tolls. However, following a protest by the public, the toll collection work could not start.
The issue of the defunct toll plaza was also raised in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha during the winter session last month. Replying to the call attention motion by the Mansa legislator Vijay Singla on the removal of toll building, PWD minister Harbhajan Singh had told the Assembly that on December 13, last year, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had decided to terminate the toll collection contract.
“It was decided to remove the structure, but the concessionaire approached the court and demanded compensation of ₹13 crore before demolishing the structure. Our department has prepared a detailed report for submission to the high court to set aside a plea of granting ₹13 crore from the public exchequer,” the minister had stated in the house last month.
