Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Nov 27: The union government has renewed the contract of Suratkal toll plaza. From Tuesday onward, a new concern, Riddhi Siddhi Associates, has taken over the collection work.

The previous toll collection contract had ended on November 18. This tollgate does not have any basic facilities. Moreover, two more tollgates are located within a distance of 36 km. Therefore, the locals have been protesting against this tollgate. During the renewal of the previous contract, protests had been held for 12 days. Local MLAs and MPs had requested the centre to close this tollgate. National Highways Authority of India has however, renewed the contract for the toll gate by another year.

Suratkal toll plaza (file photo)

Keshav Aggarwal Company, which was in this gate so far, was given target of collecting Rs 9.7 lac per day. It said it was facing losses, and had tried to levy charges even for local vehicles but the locals had protested.

Riddi Siddhi associates has now taken the contract with a targeted collection figure of Rs 10.3 lac per day. The officials do not know whether the clause of contract includes collection of toll from local vehicles. As if the authorities will levy this charge even local vehicles, the gate where the passage of vehicles was free till now, has now been fixed with Fastag equipment.