Brahmarakotlu toll-gate on NH 73 illegal: SDPI

Mangalore, Dec 11: SDPI Dakshina Kannada district unit president Akbar Ali said that collection of toll from vehicles passing through the toll booth at Brahmarakotlu on National Highway 73 in Bantwal taluk was illegal without the completion of works and urged that the toll collection should be stopped until the pending works on the NH 73 were completed.

Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, he said that inspite of 20 percent of work on the national highway pending, toll was being collected from passing vehicles at the toll booth from December 5. The bridge beside the toll gate is yet to be completed. The four-laning of a 250 metre stretch has not been done, along with a proper drainage system and service road at Bantwal junction. With all these works pending, it is illegal to start collecting toll from the passing vehicles, he said, adding that several works were also pending on the Padil-Suratkal stretch.

He claimed that the toll collection at Brahmarakotlu might have started after an internal understanding between the district authorities and the agencies.

He urged that after the completion of works, the local residents within a radius of 2 km should be exempted from toll collection once the toll gate starts.

Memorandums have been submitted in this regard to the Deputy Commissioner and the tahsildar, he said.

Bantwal town municipal council member Muneesh Ali Ahmed, SDPI Bantwal town committee president S H Sahul Hameed and Mohammed Riyaz were present in the press conference.