Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat said on Monday that that he and the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Shobha Karandlaje will try to meet the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in Delhi on Tuesday to discuss the matter of toll collection after merging Surathkal toll gate with Hejmady toll plaza on National Highway 66 as proposed.
Responding to questions raised by the Leader of the Opposition in Udupi City Municipal Council Ramesh Kanchan at the general body meeting of the CMC, the MLA said that the toll fee being collected at Surathkal toll gate should not be added to the toll fee being collected at Hejmady as proposed by the National Highways Authority of India after the merger. “The officials have taken a wrong decision on merging the toll fee as well. We will oppose it,” he said.
The MLA said that he will meet the officials of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to discuss about the slow progress of railway over bridge (ROB) work at Indrali and a new circle to come up at Kalsanka Junction (NH 169A) in the city in Delhi on Tuesday.
Mr. Bhat said that his Delhi visit was scheduled earlier primarily to discuss with the officials the need for speeding up the ROB works at Indrali and four-lane project from Karavali Junction to Malpe. As there is a plan to build a circle worth Rs. 40 crore at Kalsanka Junction in city, it will also be discussed.
Mr. Kanchan earlier had issued a statement that Mr. Bhat instead of just writing a letter to the Union Government on the toll gate issue, should join other four MLAs of Udupi district, MLCs and MP and hold a massive protest against the merger proposal.
