Padubidri, September 2: Drivers of service buses opposed the toll gate set up for the Hejamadi old MBC road and resorted to lightning protest for two hours obstructing the vehicular movement on the road here on Sunday.
Navayug Company has started collecting toll fee near Hejamadi Bastipadu stadium on national highway 66. In order to avoid the toll fee, majority of vehicles are plying on old MBC road. Knowing this, the company has again started to collect toll fee on service road near Hejamadi Guddeangadi. It started to collect the toll fee on Saturday. But on Sunday morning, all service bus drivers and other vehicles stopped their vehicles near toll gate suddenly and staged protest which lasts for more than two hours. This has caused inconvenience to the passengers.
Later, the police rushed to the spot and held discussions with the company to allow the service buses free for two days. It was also decided to hold discussion after two days.
Locals protest
Later, local residents gathered on the spot and opposed the toll fee collection on old BMC road. Without giving any prior information and preparation, the company has started collecting fee. This has caused inconvenience to the local residents. Without meeting the demands of the gram panchayat, the company has suddenly started collecting the fee which is not fair. The Deputy Commissioner would hold a meeting in the end of the month. Till then, the company should restrain from collecting fee, they demanded.
As the company started collecting fee at Hejamadi national highway, the number of vehicles plying on the service road has increased causing damage to the road and a bridge. So, it was a nice decision to construct toll plaza, opined others.
As the local buses, school buses and goods vehicles come to Hejamadi, the toll plaza would be a burden for them. So, those vehicles should be given relaxation from toll fee, demand some others.
Hejamadi service road is belonging to PWD and the Navayug company has no right to collect toll fee on that road, said agitators.
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Bantwal: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, a meeting of Congress workers from Bantwala Assembly Constituency was convened at Narayana Guru Sabha Bhavan in B.C. Road. Padmaraj R who. is the Congress candidate for the DK Lok Sabha constituency addressed the gathering and spoke about the party's commitment to serving the people.
Padmaraj highlighted the development projects brought to the district by Congress leaders over the years, including the Port, Airport, N.M.P.T., and K.P.T.C.L. He contrasted this with the BJP's record, urging party workers to confidently seek votes from the people based on Congress's track record of pro-people schemes.
Coming from a humble background, Padmaraj spoke on the value of education and his involvement in social work. He expressed his commitment to working closely with party workers to ensure that their efforts align with the desires of the people.
Former minister Ramanatha Rai, the D.K. district election in-charge, praised Congress's focus on uplifting the poor and highlighted the impact of guarantee schemes implemented by the state government.
DCC president Harish Kumar called on party workers to conduct door-to-door campaigns to publicise the state government's guarantee schemes to win over voters.
Several party leaders and officials, including Geru Corporation President Mamata Gatti, Block Congress Presidents Baby Kunder and Sudheep Kumar Shetty, were also present at the meeting.