Toll collection on NH 316 put off after people’s protest

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri /Pipili, Aug 24:

Toll collection at the Pipili toll gate on the newly laid Puri-Bhubaneswar National Highway no. 316, which was to begin from Sunday, has been put on hold following opposition to toll collection by the people of Odisha’s applique town and different public organizations.

National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) had, through a notification, announced earlier that toll collection will begin at the Pipili toll gate on the Puri-Bhubaneswar National Highway no. 316 from August 23. But the district administration was forced to issued orders to suspend toll collection at the Pipili toll gate from Sunday midnight at the last minute fearing trouble.

At a meeting held at Pipli on Sunday, organizations opposing toll collection decided that they would resort to road blockade and economic blockade on the national highway if toll is collected at the Pipili toll gate using force.

The district collector has called for a meeting between the people’s representatives of Pipili, different organizations opposing toll collection, NHAI authorities, officials of Bhubaneswar Expressway Pvt Ltd and JSS Petron Pvt Ltd today, sources said.

Toll fee collection will depend on the decision to be taken at the meeting, sources added.