Padubidri: A symbolic protest was held at Hejamadi Tollgate on National Highway 66 on Thursday, demanding the exemption in toll for local vehicles, and the immediate completion of the National Highway 66 works.
“Complete the national highway work or stop the toll collection. Toll collection should be permanently stopped for local vehicles. Construct the highway as per the original map of 2010. While setting up four tollgates within 90 kilometers is against the National Highway Law, Surathkal tollgate must be removed immediately,” the committee urged.
“National highway curves are unscientific, and no warning sign boards are installed in the accident-prone zones, road dividers are inadequate,” the committee added.
The protesters then submitted a memorandum to Kapu Tahsildar Guru Siddayya Hiremath.
Horata Samithi president Deviprasad Shetty, MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, district panchayat member Shashikanta Padubidri, taluk panchayat member Dinesh Palimaru, various gram panchayat presidents Vishalakshi Putran, Damayanti Amin,JDS district President Yogish Shetty, Vasudeva Rao, Rakshana Vedike District President Ansar Ahmed, Kapu constituency president Sudhakar Shetty, Kapu block Congress president Navinchandra J. Shetty, BJP Kapu constituency President Prakash Shetty, tempo drivers and Malakar Sangha president Harish Shetty, Uday Shetty Anna, Abbas Haji, Ismail Phalimaru, Ashraf, Ismail Hejamadi and others were present.

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Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
