Motorists heave a sigh of relief at Aganampudi toll plaza

Visakhapatnam : The long pending demand to remove Aganampudi toll plaza has finally been met.

Promised as part of his election campaign, Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao assured that he will remove the toll gate if he came to power. As assured, the MLA communicated to the authorities of the National Highway that the toll plaza should be removed from Aganampudi.

Some of the alliance party activists and locals staged a protest at the toll gate recently. They removed the stoppers and stopped the staff from collecting toll fee from motorists at the plaza.

Later, the MLA spoke to NHAI officials over the phone and suggested that they should stop the collection of toll fee. He warned that the highway authorities would be held responsible if there is a law and order problem due to the collection of toll fees.

Earlier, Gajuwaka MLA Palla Srinivasa Rao filed a case in the High Court through Gajuwaka Bar Association to remove the toll plaza in 2019. Following which, the toll gate was supposed to shift to Salapuvanipalem of the Parawada mandal according to the court’s order. Following which, the locals and motorists going along the Aganampudi toll gate heaved a sigh of relief. But, their relief did not last longer.

Subsequently, the National Highway Authority approached the Supreme Court to reopen the toll plaza back at Aganampudi and got a stay.

This led to the reopening of the toll plaza at the same place where it was established earlier. Opposing the collection of toll fees, people’s associations and political parties fought against the toll gate operations. The people also raised objections over the establishment of a toll gate falling under the purview of Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and a number of residential colonies formed a part of the neighbourhood.

This apart, express highway from Anakapalli to Anandapuram was completed, and another toll plaza was opened along the route. After which, the one at Aganampudi was supposed to be closed.

However, no official statement was made by the authorities of the National Highway regarding the closure of Aganampudi toll plaza and no official statement was given in this regard.