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Anti-toll protest picks up, seeks corporate support
Demanding immediate removal of the two toll plazas at Sirhaul and Kherki Daula on the Gurgaon Expressway, a large number of city residents took out a protest march in Old Gurgaon on Saturday.
Demanding immediate removal of the two toll plazas at Sirhaul and Kherki Daula on the Gurgaon Expressway, a large number of city residents took out a protest march in Old Gurgaon on Saturday.
This is the fifth demonstration organised by Toll Hatao Sangharsh Samiti (THSS) since January. The march began at 11am from Old Sohna Chowk and passed through several residential and commercial areas before culminating at Mahavir Chowk around 1pm.
Holding banners and pamphlets, men, women and children also raised slogans.
A samiti member said the procession was meant to garner the support of residents, especially businessmen, who pass daily through the toll plaza and pay hefty taxes. “We need the support of people and corporate honchos. We are happy that people from old markets and industries supported us and assured to do the same in future,” said Atar Singh Sandhu, coordinator, THSS.
“The peaceful procession is just the beginning to mobilise the support of people. We will organise a largescale protest on September 9 at the Sirhaul toll plaza, which will be bigger than the one that took place on January 29,” said another member of THSS.
“We expect thousands of people to turn up on September 9,” said another executive member of THSS, adding that the samiti had warned the expressway concessionaire and Gurgaon administration.
On January 29, a protest was organised at the Sirhaul toll plaza which had caused irreparable losses to the concessionaire, Delhi-Gurgaon Super Connectivity Ltd. A large number of people had held a demonstration and opened the toll gates forcefully while allowing commuters to pass through without paying taxes. The samiti is seeking free passage for vehicles registered in Gurgaon and relocation of the toll plazas beyond municipal limits till the requisite underpasses and side lanes are built.
