Toll plazas fleece motorist without providing facilities

Karimnagar : Union Minister of Roads, Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari recently directed National Highway officials and toll agencies not to collect toll when the roads are not properly maintained and if there are potholed roads, traffic at Tollplazas.

But on the Rajiv Highway that stretches from Ramagundam to Hyderabad, approximately Rs30 lakhs toll fee collected every day from 11,000 to 12,000 vehicles that pass on the road. Rajiv highway has two tolls, but the performance is not good. For years, motorists have not been able to avoid the difficulties in journeys.

Potholes are visible at many places on this road across Karimnagar and Peddapalli districts, troubling the motorists and toll agencies are not paying attention. Even though they were repaired at some places, the patch work is bumpy, and they were looking like speed breakers.

Toll plazas were set up at Timmapur Mandal Renikunta and Basantnagar in Peddapally District on Rajiv Highway. About 15 years ago, because of the expansion and construction of this route, every 60 km a toll tax set up and toll is collected from four, six and eight wheeled vehicles plying on this road.

These are run by various agencies under the supervision of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) under the Ministry of Transport and National Highways. Since the construction of the GYP route, they will have to undertake construction of various facilities on this road. Especially on the road there should be no accidents. Toll is an indirect tax the public pay for the services they get and to make the journey smooth and easy on a quality pothole-free road.

In this joint district, even though the carriers have been paying fees for years, there were allegations that they were not getting adequate facilities. Many villages on this road do not have proper warning signs. At night, the high mast lights installed at the respective villages are not lit in many places. It has to be arranged in some places.

There seems to be neglect in the matter of plant cultivation. Plants or grasses and wild plants have grown. Also fences erected in many places along the road disappeared at many places but have not been re-established.

Due to the lack of filling of potholes in the sidewall adjacent to the asphalt road, motorists were prone to accidents when it rains. There is a need to increase drinking water, toilets, emergency services and fire control facilities in the middle of the road as well. Chithoju Bhaskar, president of Manair NGO told The Hans India that once one goes to Hyderabad, the pockets are drained, but the proper facilities and road maintenance are not good, and the concerned public representatives and authorities should take immediate action.