Toll collection from 10 state Highway including Karkala–Padubidri to begin soon

Vartha Bharati | 29-03-2022 | 16:14:00 IST

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Bengaluru: Karnataka’s ten state highways will reportedly begin collecting tolls from travellers passing through the highway. The review of bids placed by private companies to undertake toll collection from the 10 highways’ in the state is currently underway. Shimoga – Shikaripura- Ganagal, Karkala – Padubidri, and Davanagere Birur state highways are included in the list, the deccanherald.com has reported. 

Under the Karnataka State Highway Improvement Project of the Department of Public Works (K-ship), construction of 31 state highways was undertaken throughout the state, and in this regard, four of the highways were established under the government and private partnership. Toll collection was reportedly already occurring on these routes. From the remaining 27 roads, commuters have been paying the toll amount in various places for several years, it is learned.

An official with the KRDCL has informed that “The tender scrutiny committee has already finalized the bids for the 10 roads, which have been under use for some time now. We are waiting for the government’s approval following which toll collection will begin,” he said. 

He also explained that apart from the maintenance cost, the fixed toll amount was set in place to recover the amount needed to repay the loans taken from various agencies for the project, which includes the World Bank. 

The passengers using the Padubidri- Karkala, Gubbi – Chandrashekharapura, Yadiyuru-Koudli-Mandya, Hanagal- Thadasa Road, Shimoga – Shikaripura- Hanagal, Thinthani – Devadurga –Kalmala, Savadatti – Badami –Kamathagi, Bellary –Moka, Davanagere –Birur and Kodlagi –Sanduru –Thoranagal routes will be subjected to toll collection in a month’s duration, sources revealed.

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Tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub derogatory, communal: Delhi HC

08-04-2026 ¦ 08-04-2026 IST

New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday termed certain tweets by journalist Rana Ayyub "highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal" as it sought her stand on a petition seeking removal of the allegedly objectionable content from social media.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who was hearing a lawyer's petition alleging that Ayyub's tweets insulted Hindu Deities and "revered historical figures", observed that even an FIR was also directed to be registered against her in relation to the tweets and called upon the Centre, Delhi Police and X to "work in tandem" and "do the needful in 24 hours".

"Let the matter be called day after. Action is necessary in view of the highly derogatory, inflammatory and communal tweets by respondent no. 4 (Ayyub), pursuant to which FIR has also been directed against respondent no. 4 by a court of competent jurisdiction," the court ordered.

Observing that the "matter requires consideration", the court issued notice to the Centre, Ayyub as well as X on the petition seeking the immediate removal of the "highly derogatory, inflammatory, and communal tweets" by Ayyub.

The court also made Delhi Police a party to the case.

Petitioner Amita Sachdeva said she is a devout follower of the Sanatan Dharm, and on her complaint, a magisterial court had already directed the registration of an FIR while holding that the journalist's tweets prima facie disclose cognisable offences under the Indian Penal Code.

The plea said the petitioner approached X's resident grievance officer as well as the Grievance Appellate Committee for the removal of the content.

However, the committee declined to grant relief, stating the matter was sub-judice, it added.

The petitioner said the continued public availability of the tweets has caused continuing and direct injury to her religious sentiments and violated her fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 21 (Right to life and liberty) and 25 (Freedom of religion) of the Constitution.

In January 2025, a magisterial court directed Delhi Police to register an FIR against Ayyub for allegedly making derogatory posts in 2016-17 that included "insults to Hindu deities, spreading of anti-India sentiment and incitement of religious disharmony."

In an order dated January 25, 2025, it said, "From the facts of the case, prima facie cognisable offences are made out under sections 153 A (punishment for promoting enmity between different groups on the ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), 295 A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and 505 (statements conducing public mischief) of the IPC."