Tension prevailed for an hour in Padianallur toll plaza near Red Hills on Monday as members of various lorry operator associations protested against the sudden hike in toll fee and delay in the six-laning project on the 12-km- stretch between Madhavaram and Padianallur on Chennai-Tada Road (NH-5).
Members of the Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation and Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Welfare Association protested against high rates of toll fee which were implemented a few days ago.
R. Sugumar, president of Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Federation, said the stretch between Madhavaram and Padianallur of NH 5 continueD to be congested with four lanes.
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“There has not been much maintenance of the road. Though the work for upgrading the road to a six-lane facility was proposed to begin at 2009, the project remains a non-starter. Moreover, toll fee is being increased by 12 per cent every year,” said Mr. Sugumar, who alleged that Rs.21 lakh was collected as toll fee from Padianallur toll plaza alone.
Lorry operators complained that the concession for six-wheeler vehicles was withdrawn without any prior notice and toll fee hiked.
The lorry owners federation wanted the height of medians on to be increased on national highways to avoid accidents. S. Yuvaraj, president of Tamil Nadu Sand Lorry Owners Welfare Association, said the height of the median was only two feet on several roads such as Tiruchi-Chennai Highway (NH 45), Chennai-Bangalore Highway and Salem-Kanyakumari Road and the height must be doubled. NHAI sources said that in Padianallur vehicle owners would be given local resident passes on production of residential proof. Toll rate had not gone up, the source clarified.
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Accidents happened mostly due to over-loading and over-speeding and heavy vehicles could use the slow lanes.