Mahapanchayat against toll charges near UER-2

Residents of nearby villages alleged that the police removed the tents from the road today, forcing the villagers to gather next to the road instead.

A mahapanchayat was held on Sunday morning near the Mundka-Bakkarwala toll plaza on the Urban Extension Road - 2 (UER-2) by residents of nearby villages, who gathered to demand that they and other local residents be exempted from the recently imposed toll. This comes after a series of protests at the site over the same issue.

Villagers gather at the Mundka-Bakkarwala toll plaza. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

The toll was organised by Palam 360, a body of many village Panchayats in Delhi. “Our demands remain the same – we want to be exempt from the toll, and want the u-turn cuts to be opened. On 27 September, we will hold another mahapanchayat in Mundka, and will start sending a committee across the villages to speak about our protest, and how to take it further,” said Ram Kumar Solanki, the leader of Palam 360.

Residents of nearby villages alleged that the police removed the tents from the road today, forcing the villagers to gather next to the road instead.

Another mahapanchayat was held on Saturday morning. “In that, it was decided there that if our demands are not met till September 20, we will hold an indefinite protest from the 21st, stop paying the toll, and block the plaza with our vehicles,” said Roshan Lal from Mundka.

Speaking to HT, an NHAI official requesting anonymity had earlier said that “The protests are unwarranted as alternative toll free routes exist and it is up to the political class to address the protesters.” However, villagers had said that the alternative routes, which go through the villages, are not a solution as they are much longer and damaged.