Protest against toll tax: NHAI serves recovery notices to 10 BKU leaders
The farmer leaders led by BKU’s divisional president Baburam Tomar, tehsil president Devdutt Sharma and others are opposing collection of toll tax for a road which has not been completed yet and also lacks facilities for commuters.
MEERUT The National Highway authority of India ( NHAI) has served legal recovery notices to 10 farmer leaders of Bharatiya Kisan Union( BKU) ,through its lawyer, for recovery of financial loss due to their ongoing protest at Bhanera toll plaza on NH 34 since July 2.
The farmer leaders led by BKU’s divisional president Baburam Tomar, tehsil president Devdutt Sharma and others are opposing collection of toll tax for a road which has not been completed yet and also lacks facilities for commuters.
The NHAI served legal notices to farmer leaders Baburam Tomar, Abdul Zaidi, Devdutt Sharma, Virendra Singh, Ankit Choudhary, Nardev, Dinesh, Muninder, Vinod Kumar and Kailash Lamban on Wednesday through its lawyer.
The farmers’ protest has been held responsible for a daily loss of ₹2.65 lakh toll fees at Bhanera toll plaza and the amount would be recovered with 18 per cent interest which will be compoundable on monthly basis, as per the notice.
The NHAI has started widening of NH 34 into four lanes between Meerut to Najibabad in Bijnor. The cost of the project was ₹1412 crore and it was scheduled to be completed by March 2023 but was delayed due to second wave of Covid .
NHAI started collecting toll at Chota Mawana in Meerut and Bhanera in Bijnor from July 2. Farmers and villagers opposed collecting toll without completing the road . The collection of toll was obstructed at Chota Mawana for a day and officials persuaded protestors by assuring that their demands would be met but farmers continued their protest at Bhanera toll plaza and didn’t allow collection of fees.
Speaking to HT on phone, BKU tehsil president Devdutt Sharma confirmed that they had received notices but their protest would continue. “ Three bridges and service roads are incomplete and there are no facilities of toilets and drinking water at the toll plaza”, said Sharma, asking how could the NHAI collect toll under such circumstances.
He said that farmers were ready to go to jail but would not allow collection of toll fees without completion of road .
The notice also mentions that the inspection agency has given a provisional completion certificate to the project on May 4 subject to certain defective/ incomplete work specified in the punch list forming part of the PCC.
Meanwhile, farmers have given a call of Mahapanchayat on July 18 to discuss the issue.
“Farmer leaders would attend the panchayat and future course of action would be decided after discussion,” said Sharma.
