Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 21: National Conference today strongly opposed the operation of Toll Plaza at Lakhanpur in Kathua district and sought roll back of the decision immediately in the larger interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is a matter of concern for the people of Jammu to witness one after another Toll Plaza coming up despite widespread protests”, National Conference said in a joint statement issued from Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here.
The statement highlighted the importance of Jammu as a most thronged pilgrim destination of North India, saying nearly 10 million pilgrims visit every year to pay obeisance at revered Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. How can this aspect, alongside the interests of commuters and consumers be ignored, who will be hard hit by the decision, as not only the commuters will be taxed but the essentials will become costlier in the wake of imposition of tax.
The National Conference leaders described levying of toll taxes unjust and unfair even before the completion of the highway. Instead of ensuring time bound completion of the highway, the National Highway Authority of India is arbitrarily going with harsh measures, they added.
The statement urged the administration to chip in and avert the confrontational approach being perpetrated by the NHAI see reason in the overwhelming demand of the people of all shades and roll back the decision on toll collection at Lakhanpur Toll Plaza.
Besides Provincial President Devender Singh Rana, signatories to the joint statement include Ajay Sadhotra, Surjeet Singh Slathia, Rattan Lal Gupta, Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Th Kashmira Singh, Th Rachpal Singh, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Javed Ahmed Rana, Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo, Ajaz Jan, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhy, Babu Rampaul, Abdul Gani Malik, Dr. Chaman Lal Bhagat, Qazi Jalal Ud Din, Brij Mohan Sharma, Tarlochan Singh Wazir, Jagjeevan Lal, Jugal Mahajan, Gurdeep Singh Sasan, Bashir Ahmed Wani, Choudhry Liaqat, Surinder Singh Bunty, Rahim Daad, Haji Mohd Hussain, Master Noor Hussain, Sheikh Abdul Rehman, Mohd Iqbal Bhat, Bimla Luthra, Satwant Kour Dogra, Deepender Kour, Swarn Lata, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Pradeep Bali, Vijay Lakshmi Dutta, Anil Dhar, Bushan Lal Bhat, Wali Dad, Chander Mohan Sharma, Dr. Gagan Bhagat, Rakesh Singh Raka, Rita Gupta Sajjad Shaheen, Israr Khan, Vijay Lochan, Abdul Gani Teli, Ch. Haroon, Som Nath Khajuria, Kr Yashivinder Singh and others.
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