Surathkal toll fee will be collected at Hejamady tollgate, NHAI issues circular
Seeks police protection to avoid law and order situation
Mangaluru: The national highway authority of India on Thursday issued a circular revising the rates of tollgate at Hejamady due to the merger of the Surathkal tollgate with the Hejamady tollgate.
"Based on the continuous request/demand by the Government of Karnataka, local public/VIP references, the Competent Authority has accorded Approval for the merger of Surathkal Toll plaza @ Km. 358.042 (near NITK, Campus on NH-66) of New Mangalore Port Road Connectivity with adjacent Hejamadi Toll Plaza @ Km. 347.180 of NH-66 falling under the BOT(Toll) project of Concessionaire, M/s Navayuga Udupi Tollway Pvt. Ltd. Accordingly, the user fee (toll) for Surathkal toll plaza will now be charged at Hejamadi Toll plaza by adding toll fee for both the stretches and present user fee rates." The circular added.
The NHAI also stated there might be chances of a law and order situation at the Hejamady tollgate and urged the authorities to ensure that no untoward incident takes place.
In view of the above facts, it is requested to provide necessary District Administration assistance/support including Police Protection. Please ensure that there will not be any law & order issues at Hejamadi Toll Plaza" the circular further read.
A car was being charged Rs. 60 for a one-way pass at the Surathkal toll gate and it was being charged Rs. 40 at the Hejamady toll gate. After the latest circular, a collective Rs. 100 will be charged for a car at the Hejamady toll gate for a single trip. Similarly, buses and trucks (two axles) were being charged Rs. 210 at the Surathkal toll gate and Rs. 145 at the Hejamady toll gate which is now revised to Rs. 355.
Heavy construction machinery, Earth Moving Equipment, and MultiAxle vehicles were being charged Rs. 325 at the Surathkal toll while being charged Rs. 225 at the Hejamady toll, with the issuance of the circular it is now revised to Rs. 550 at the Hejamady toll gate.
Light commercial and light goods vehicles were being charged Rs. 100 at the Surathkal toll and Rs. 70 at the Hejamady toll which has now been revised to Rs. 170 at the Hejamady toll gate.
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
