Bowing to protests by Rohtak residents and following the intervention of chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, the toll tax on Rohtak-Panipat road was on Saturday reduced from Rs 155 for single day (round trip) to Rs 100 a month (on monthly pass basis) for non-commercial vehicles between Rohtak and Gohana towns.
The issue was raised by Rohtak residents under the aegis of Toll Bachao Sangrash Samiti and opposition parties Indian National Lok Dal, Bhartiya Janata Party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and CPM. The samiti had threatened to gherao the toll plaza on January 19 after demanding exemption of toll tax for residents of areas in 20-km radius of the plaza.
Sadhbhavna Company chief general manager (tolling operations) Col Vikramjeet Singh and local general manager Col Surender Singh held a press conference in Rohtak on Saturday and said the decision had been taken with consultation of deputy commissioner Amit Aggarwal.
He said agriculture-related vehicles whose land fell near the plaza would be exempted from the tax.
Meanwhile, a source in the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) said the decision was taken after Hooda had sought an amicable solution.
Residents still anguished
Expressing dissatisfaction with the introduction of the monthly pass, samiti president Virender Hooda said they did not want monthly passes, but complete exemption of toll tax from Rohtak to Gohana on Makdoli barrier. He said that on Sunday all the members would support them in protest outside Makdoli toll plaza on Rohtak-Panipat highway.
Residents still anguished
Expressing dissatisfaction with the introduction of the monthly pass, samiti president Virender Hooda said they did not want monthly passes, but complete exemption of toll tax from Rohtak to Gohana on Makdoli barrier. He said that on Sunday all the members would support them in protest outside Makdoli toll plaza on Rohtak-Panipat highway.