Janhit Morcha force toll bridge employees to stop collecting toll at DND flyway over corruption
The policemen on duty didn’t do much to control the protests after the toll operators had abandoned their posts. City magistrate Bachu Singh said they were “trying to have a settlement with Janhit Morcha” and doing their best to “end the protest end as soon as possible”.
The protesters of the ‘Janhit morcha’ had camped near the toll plaza from 6 am, armed with loudspeakers and banners.
They accused the authorities of corruption for charging toll even after recovering the costs incurred for building and maintaining the Delhi-Noida expressway.
“This protest is not politically motivated, it is to fight corruption. The Noida toll bridge company spent Rs. 183 crore for its construction. They claimed they used over Rs. 400 crore, but even that cost has been covered. Now they are just continuing to loot people. This is not the first time we have protested,” Nawab Singh Nagar told NDTV.
The protesters of the ‘Janhit Morcha’ had filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Allahabad High Court 10 days ago. The court has issued a notice to DND flyway authorities but no order has been passed yet.
The flyway, she said, is a privately owned public amenity and has over 80,000 shareholders who invested in India’s first private-public partnership road facility.
“DND’s Concession Agreement with NOIDA is for a period of 30 years, that is till 2031, which is not unlike other NHAI concessions . Such activities cause concern among Investors about public money/investments in PPP projects and the infrastructure sector in the State/country,” she added.
The expressway has been operational since 2001 which considerably reduces the travel time between Delhi and Noida. At present, Rs. 30 is collected as toll from each vehicle and approximately one and a half lakh vehicles use the route.
44-year-old Sanjeev Kumar, who appeared happy to not pay the toll, said, “If this protest is in support against the corruption I am for it.”
Detailing the terms of agreement of the flyway, a DND spokesperson said, “People with vested interests have stopped toll collection activities even though Section 144 is in force in Noida”
The flyway, she said, is a privately owned public amenity and has over 80,000 shareholders who invested in India’s first private-public partnership road facility.
“DND’s Concession Agreement with NOIDA is for a period of 30 years, that is till 2031, which is not unlike other NHAI concessions . Such activities cause concern among Investors about public money/investments in PPP projects and the infrastructure sector in the State/country,” she added.
The expressway has been operational since 2001 which considerably reduces the travel time between Delhi and Noida. At present, Rs. 30 is collected as toll from each vehicle and approximately one and a half lakh vehicles use the route.
44-year-old Sanjeev Kumar, who appeared happy to not pay the toll, said, “If this protest is in support against the corruption I am for it.”
