Jammu, Aug 28: The Sarore Toll Plaza in Jammu region, against which protests are being held and a shutdown was observed, will now be shifted to Thandi-Khui in Vijaipur area of Samba district.
Widespread protests were held across the Jammu region against toll collection at the plaza. Yuva Rajput Sabha (YRS) spearheaded these protests demanding the suspension of toll collection as a large portion of the Jammu-Pathankot Highway has been damaged due to rains and traffic has been diverted.
On the 26th of this month, the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCI), with the support of the Congress Party, National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other organisations, gave a ‘Jammu Bandh’ call against toll collection at Sarore Toll Plaza.
The call evoked a positive response and Jammu observed almost a complete bandh.
The Sarore Toll Plaza will now be shifted around 4 km back towards Vjaipur, Regional Officer, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), Shiv Shanker told Rising Kashmir.
He, however, added, “The Sarore Toll Plaza will be shifted due to the 6-lane project of Delhi-Amritsar-Katra Expressway.”
Meanwhile, the team of NHAI officers is also going to arrive in Jammu tomorrow to assess damages to the Jammu-Pathankot Highway.
The NHAI team is coming to Jammu on the directions of union minister, Nitin Gadkari. After widespread protests against toll collection at Sarore Toll Plaza despite the major portion of the highway being damaged, the BJP leaders had called on Gadkari demanding his intervention in the matter and ordering for suspension of toll collection.
After listening to the BJP leaders namely, Chander Parkash Ganga, Dr Devender Manyal, Surjeet Singh Slathia (former ministers), and MP, Jugal Kishore Sharma, Gadkari asked the NHAI to depute a team of officers to Jammu and submit a detailed ground report within days.
The NHAI team will be here in Jammu till September 02. It will take stock of the extent of damage caused to the highway, hold deliberations with the stakeholders and submit the complete report to the union minister.
