Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Feb 15: From March 1 onward, private cars bearing registration number starting with KA 19 will have to pay toll charges at Suratkal toll plaza. They were enjoying exemption from toll charges till now at this tollgate.

It is learnt that on an average, 3,000 locally registered private cars pass through the toll plaza. Because of the exemption, the company managing the tollgate is suffering loss of three lac rupees per day, it is said. To recover this loss, a decision to lift exemption given to local vehicles has been taken, Keshav Aggarwal Toll Company, which was given contract to manage this gate recently, stated.

The company said that the cars bearing KA 19 registration numbers can buy a monthly pass by paying a sum of Rs 255 and make any number of trips through this gate. If they do not hold a pass, they have to pay Rs 50 for one way journey. The national highways department, in its notification, had fixed Rs 50 for cars, jeeps and small vehicles for one way journey and Rs 75 for two-way.

In the past, after the locals steadfastly protested against the collection of toll charges here, the district administration had intervened and asked the management to extend concession to the locals. The company, which claims to have been facing losses, has now decided to withdraw the concession extended earlier to cars bearing local registration number.