Jajpur: Unfair toll collection has allegedly crossed all limits at the three toll plazas on national highways No.-16 and 53 in Jajpur district, a report said. Such irregularities have been reported from the three toll plazas of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) functioning in the district.
It has been five years since the state government decided to shift the toll plazas on the highways and establish them at a distance of 60 km from each other. However, except for shifting the Manguli toll plaza to Bandalo, the two other toll plazas at Panikoili on NH-16 and at Srirampur on NH-53 are yet to be shifted.
According to NHAI guidelines, the distance between one toll plaza and another should be a minimum of 60 km. But commuters have to unnecessarily pay twice or thrice the amount of the prescribed toll fee while commuting on a highway.
Following a heavy uproar, the state government and the NHAI had decided to shift the toll plazas at a distance of 60 km from each other. Accordingly, the toll plaza on NH-16 at Manguli in Cuttack district was recently shifted to Bandalo in Jajpur district.
However, the Panikoili toll plaza on NH-16 in the district has not been shifted to Dahala in Bhadrak district, which is 60 km from Bandalo.
Similarly, the toll plaza at Srirampur on NH-53 has also not been shifted to Marshaghai in Kendrapara district. Questions have been doing the rounds as to why the toll plazas at Panikoili and Srirampur are not being shifted to the designated sites even after shifting of the Manguli toll plaza to Bandalo.
Reports said that the state Transport Department directed the regional transport officers (RTOs) of Jajpur, Chandikhole, Balasore and Bhadrak to identify sites for shifting of the toll plazas on NH-16 and 53, August 11, 2016.
The additional secretary, Transport (Technical), in his letter (12448, dated-11.08.2016) issued orders to the RTOs of Jajpur, Chandikhole, Balasore and Bhadrak districts in this regard.
In the order, the additional secretary directed the RTOs to select sites for the toll plazas which will be at a minimum distance of 60 km from one another and at 10 km from the localities and market areas.
The RTOs were asked to consult the respective executive engineers and chief engineer of the NHAI in their areas while identifying the sites. The Transport Department decided to shift the toll plazas July 19, 2016 and apprised the engineer-in-chief and the Works Secretary about the development.
However, the distance between the toll plaza at Bandalo and the one in Panikoili is only 47 km. Similarly, the distance between the Panikoili toll plaza and the Srirampur toll plaza on NH-53 near Chandikhole is only 47 km instead of 60 km.
Moreover, the toll plazas at Panikoili and Hasanpur on NH-200 in Keonjhar district are within only 35 km. A case in point is that a person from Bhubaneswar wishing to visit the Maa Tarini temple at Ghatagaon in Keonjhar district has to pay toll fee thrice – once each at the Bandalo, Panikoili and Hasanpur toll plazas.
Similarly, a person travelling to Bhubaneswar or Paradip via Jajpur Road has to pay toll fee twice on the route. The anomalies in toll fee collection have sparked resentment among the people and commuters on the highway.
It is alleged that the agency managing the Panikoili toll plaza fears that the shifting of toll plaza might result in heavy revenue loss. As a result, they are opposing the decision.
They have allegedly managed to put off the decision with the help of an influential political person. A goods truck owner, Smruti Ranjan Ghadei alleged that a mineral-laden truck has pay toll fee twice at two toll plazas located within 50 km between Joda and Paradip.
Moreover, the Fast-tag facility is not being implemented properly at the Panikoili toll plaza for which commuters often have to pay toll fee twice.
Meanwhile, another vehicle owner, Subhas Dhal warned of an agitation if the Panikoili toll plaza is not shifted to Dahala in Bhadrak district soon.
PNN