A large number of people staged a protest against the proposed toll gate at Belmannu on Karkala-Padubidri State Highway in Udupi district on Sunday.
Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar said the state government is dictating terms to the people of Udupi. The public money is looted in the name of toll collection. The state government and the local administration should be responsible for any sort of untoward incidents that might occur if the toll collection is initiated in Belmannu, he added.
“I will meet the chief minister within two days and raise the issue with him. I will urge him to withdraw the order on toll collection. The protest will be continued till the government withdraws the proposal,” said the MLA.
Opposition leader in the Council, Kota Srinivas Poojary said the state government is increasing the burden on the public.
Kemaru Mutt Seer Sri Esha Vittaladasa Swami urged the state government to immediately withdraw its decision on toll collection. Instead of collecting toll, the government should improve infrastructure facilities, he added.
Toll Gate Action Committee convener N Suhas Hegde said that the protest will be intensified if the state government fails to withdraw its decision.
A memorandum was submitted to the Karkala deputy tahsildar, Lokesh.
Deputy Commissioner Priyanka Mary Francis told reporters that Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project (KSHIP) had handed over the road to Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL).
The responsibility of road improvement was entrusted to the KSHIP by the PWD. The PWD has sought information over the setting up of toll gate from KRDCL. The state government had also introduced the toll collection on state highways in other districts, she added.
More than 3,000 to 4,000 agitators gathered in the area as a part of the protest. The protesters raised slogans against the state government.