People stage protest against Sarore Toll Plaza

People protesting against Sarore Toll Plaza at Samba on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Badyal
People protesting against Sarore Toll Plaza at Samba on Tuesday. -Excelsior/Badyal

Excelsior Correspondent
SAMBA, Dec 24: The Sarpanches and the members of the Taxi Operators Union Samba today staged a strong protest demonstration against Sarore Toll Plaza at Veer Bhoomi Park here, today.
A large number of Sarpanches along with the members of the Taxi Union today gathered at Veer Bhoomi Park Samba under the leadership of Ravinder Singh Lablu. They raised slogan against the Central Government for installing Toll Plaza at Sarore. They alleged that, after the functioning of new Sarore Toll Plaza, the people are facing lot of trouble and there is a lot of resentment among the people of district and other districts against the same and they are demanding immediate closure of Toll Plaza but till date the Toll Plaza has not been closed.
The protestors said few months ago when the Sarore Toll Plaza was functioning that the officers of the district administration Samba promised to the people of Samba that local vehicles will not be charged the toll but for the last one week the employees of the Sarore Toll are charging the toll from the vehicles bearing registration number of Samba district. This way they (authorities) backtracked and the officers of district administration are totally silent over the issue.

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Ravinder Singh Lablu, Sarpanch said that when the Toll Plaza started the people of district Samba raised their voice and held protest against its installation and demanded to close it so that the people do not face problems, but that the State president of BJP Ravinder Raina assured them that he wrote a letter to the Central Minister for closure of Toll Plaza. Despite his assurance the Sarore Toll Plaza did not close and the State president only made fake promises to the people, although the Toll Plaza was not closed and the employees of the Sarore Toll are charging the toll from vehicles of Samba district. He warned the Central and State Governments that if the Toll Plaza did not close within days then they will be forced to come on road and will hold strong protest against Central Government.
Among other those present in the protest including Rameshwar, Krishan Chand, Pardeep Kalotra, Udhayveer and Bunty.