Indefinite protest against Surathkal toll plaza begins

The Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi has begun indefinite protest (day and night) demanding the authorities to vacate the toll plaza at Surathkal, from Friday.

The indefinite protest will be continued till November 7, said committee convener Muneer Katipalla.

The protest was attended by several leaders including Vinay Kumar Sorake, Ramanath Rai, Mohiuddin Bava, Abhayachandra Jain, advocate Dinesh Ulepady, committee convener Muneer Katipalla, KPCC coordinator Prathibha Kulai and others.

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The protesters said “we no longer need promises and assurances. We want the toll plaza at Surathkal be vacated.”

The protesters said that under the aegis of Toll Gate Virodhi Horata Samithi, the members have been demanding to vacate the toll plaza for the last six years. The officials and elected representatives have been issuing false promises and assurances on the removal of the toll plaza all these years.

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Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police N Shashi Kumar has clamped prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC within a radius of 200 metres around the toll plaza at Surathkal. In his order, Shashi Kumar said the order will be effective from 6 am on October 28 till 6 pm on November 3 in view of the protests planned by the action committee demanding the closure of the toll gate.

"It may be recalled that in a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Dr Kumar on Thursday, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) project director Linge Gowda had requested the protesters to wait till gazette notification on the removal of toll plaza is issued. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has directed the authorities to remove the Surathkal toll gate and a gazette notification is awaited," he said.