Bowing to pressure from farmers and various RWAs, the operator of the DND Flyway on Saturday agreed to an immediate rollback of the toll tax hike imposed on the midnight of November 9.
The move came after protests by farmer unions and members of RWAs. The Noida Toll Bridge Company Ltd, the operator of the flyway that connects Noida to Delhi, had increased the toll rates by up to 15%.
"Some sections of the society have registered their protest against the increase in the toll fee to the Noida authority. As advised, it has been agreed that the toll hike is hereby suspended from midnight of November 17 until the issue is sorted out," said Anwar Abbasi, spokesperson, DND Flyway.
On Friday, Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate MKS Sundaram held a meeting with Noida authority officials and asked the operator to roll back the hike to evade any possible law and order problem.
Representatives of Noida RWAs were also present in the meeting. Several residents' bodies and farmers had threatened to stage a series of agitations after the Noida authority last week gave its approval to the flyway operator to increase the toll rates.
{{/usCountry}}Representatives of Noida RWAs were also present in the meeting. Several residents' bodies and farmers had threatened to stage a series of agitations after the Noida authority last week gave its approval to the flyway operator to increase the toll rates.
{{/usCountry}}"We are planning to move court against the concessionaire agreement, which was made to benefit operator and harass the general public," said AN Dhawan, chief advisor, Federation of Noida RWAs.
"The law and order situation is expected to go out of control if the hike is not rolled back," a district administration official had said on Friday.
After the hike, two-wheelers were asked to pay Rs. 12, instead of Rs. 11, and cars Rs. 25, instead of Rs.22.
Rates for other vehicle categories, such as light commercial, large, medium and extra large vehicles were also increased.
Light commercial vehicles were charged Rs. 55 instead of Rs.45 and heavy vehicles Rs.100 instead of Rs. 75.
Medium vehicles had to pay Rs. 70 instead of Rs. 55, extra large vehicles had to pay Rs. 130 toll instead of Rs. 95.
Farmers had been protesting the hike for the past several days. "The hike is unjustified and unacceptable. Amid soaring prices of essential commodities, the toll hike is a shock. The authority has made a wrong decision. We will launch a protest," a farmer leader said after the hike.