Sarore Toll Plaza should immediately be suspended: Salathia

JAMMU Aug 19: Jammu and Kashmir BJP demands immediate suspension of Sarore Toll Plaza to provide relief to the commuters plying vehicles on the National Highway. Addressing a press conference at party headquarter, BJP Vice-President & former Minister Surjeet Singh Salathia said this, adding that the people should not be made to suffer as the highway road is in very bad condition.

He was accompanied by BJP General Secretary Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal, former Minister Chander Parkash Ganga and party Spokesperson Y.V. Sharma.

Surjeet Singh Salathia said that the condition of the NHAI road is in dilapidated condition and need immediate repairing. He said that the service lines too are not in good condition. He said that travelling through the National highway and the service lines has become time consuming and the commuters are facing problems while covering even small distances. Earlier, one could cover 30 kilometres distance in just half an hour but now same distance is being covered in 2-3 hours, thus causing inconvenience to the people.

For what should people pay toll when there is no proper road facility, he questioned?

He shared that the BJP has already taken up the matter with National Highway Authority of India. Lok Sabha MP Jugal Kishore Sharma too has written letter to the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari appealing to look into the matter, which needs immediate intervention.

Surjeet Singh Salathia said that the BJP has always stood up with the general public and worked towards mitigating their sufferings. He assured that every effort will be made by the party to ensure that the people get quality road network and expressed hope that the NHAI will take a decision to immediately suspend the Sarore Toll Plaza.  

Dr. Devinder Kumar Manyal said that people are facing many problems due to the present condition of roads and still people are made to pay the Toll, which is not justified at this juncture. The NHAI should provide alternate safe and smooth roads to the public, which is mandatory condition in all the tender works of the roads. Whenever there is construction of new road, the contractor/company is bound to provide this facility, which is not provided in this case. should. The NHAI should make sure that it is providing the smooth roadways and then only charge the tax at the Plaza.

Chander Parkash Ganga said that the same matter was also taken up by him three months ago through a letter addressed to MoS V.K. Singh.

 (NOTE: PRESS RELEASE PUBLISHED AS RECEIVED)