CM Mann announces closure of Samana toll plaza
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann closed the Samana-Patran road toll plaza, making it the ninth toll plaza to be closed. Mann said more toll plazas will be freed in the coming days, calling them "shops for open loot of the general public." He added that every penny plundered from people will be recovered, and FIRs will be lodged against the companies. The toll plaza had several shortcomings, and a fine of INR 1.48 crore was imposed on the company, but no action was initiated. Mann said by closing this toll plaza, INR 3.80 lakh of the common people would be saved daily.
Continuing the spree to free toll plazas across the state, chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday closed the Samana-Patran road toll plaza. He said it is the ninth toll plaza to be closed and not the last as more such will be freed in the coming days.
Addressing the gathering after closing the toll plaza, the CM bemoaned that these toll plazas were like shops for open loot of the general public. He said these tolls had plundered the public by flouting all norms as per their agreement. However, the CM said it was surprising that instead of taking action against them, the successive state governments had patronised this loot by keeping a blind eye towards their misdeeds.
Mann said none of the toll plazas, shut so far, had the facility of ambulance or recovery van, despite it being a provision of their agreement.
He said the agreement of the Samana-Patran road toll plaza was signed on September 1, 2005, during the Captain government and the toll was imposed for 16.5 years. He said due to several shortcomings, a fine of ₹ 1.48 crore was imposed on the company and it could have been closed on June 24, 2013. However, Mann said this never happened. He said it could have also been shut down on October 16, 2018, when the second overlay was not done, but no action was initiated then too.
The CM said after assuming the charge, when his government issued a notice to the toll plaza over the violations, the managing company moved to the court. However, he said the plea was rejected by the court and the government decided to close it. Mann said by closing this toll plaza, ₹ 3.80 lakh of the common people would be saved daily.
{{/usCountry}}The CM said after assuming the charge, when his government issued a notice to the toll plaza over the violations, the managing company moved to the court. However, he said the plea was rejected by the court and the government decided to close it. Mann said by closing this toll plaza, ₹ 3.80 lakh of the common people would be saved daily.
{{/usCountry}}He said the company was seeking an extension on the pretext of farmers’ agitation and the Covid pandemic but his government denied it. He said the work should have been done earlier but none of his predecessors bothered to secure the interests of people. Mann unequivocally said every single penny plundered from people will be recovered from these people by all means adding that FIR will also be lodged against the company.
{{/usCountry}}He said the company was seeking an extension on the pretext of farmers’ agitation and the Covid pandemic but his government denied it. He said the work should have been done earlier but none of his predecessors bothered to secure the interests of people. Mann unequivocally said every single penny plundered from people will be recovered from these people by all means adding that FIR will also be lodged against the company.
{{/usCountry}}Reiterating the firm commitment of his government to punish the perpetrators of sacrilege incidents in the state, the CM said justice in these cases is not far away as the challan has already been presented in the court to ensure severe action against the culprits.
