Hariprasad M Nandalike

Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (MS)

Karkala, Apr 2: The proposed toll gate that is intended to be built at Belman city on Karkala-Padubidri state highway 1, which was dropped due to the fierce protest that were held by public, is making sounds again.

The companies which took the contract for the survey for the tollgate construction at Belman and failed due to the protest, are now making a survey of the vehicles that are plying on the state highway on Kanchinadka road near Padubidri.

N Suhas Hegde

Sarvajna Tantri

The survey work which has started on Wednesday, March 31 will be done for a week and will cover the number of heavy and light vehicles that are plying on this stretch. Sahukar Global company of Mumbai origin has taken the contract for the survey and has seven personnel team to do the work.

It seems that Mitra Info Solution company of Mysuru, which took the initial contract initially has backtracked. Later one more private company had got the survey done through a company of Kundapur origin. One more company had conducted the survey work sitting in a hotel. Now the present company is secretly doing this work away from Belman by making their personnel sit at Kanchinadka of Padubidri.

Sahukar Global company of Mumbai origin knows that fierce protest was held for installing tollgate at Belman. So they are getting the survey done at Kanchinadka, away from the eyes of public of Belman.

Though there are rumours that tollgate will come up at Kanchinadka, exact spot of construction is not yet published. According to the personnel involved in the survey work, already three spots of Belman, Halekatte near Nitte and Kanchinadka near Padubidri are identified for building tollgate.

Villagers of Kanchinadka have warned that they will not allow tollgate to be built in on Karkala-Padubidri area on state highway. They are accusing the government that it is trying to disturb the peace of the residents of this area by conducting survey repeatedly.

N Suhas Hegde, president of protest committee says, "Under any circumstances we will not allow construction of tollgate in this part. We are always ready for protest."

"Poor people of the society will be affected due to construction of one more toll gate. That is why we will not allow tollgate to be built in this area. The residents of this area totally oppose this move by the government," says Sarvajna Tantri, secretary of protest committee.