Chandigarh: Commuters travelling from Chandigarh to Pathankot end up paying as high as Rs 229 as toll fee on one-side journey in their car. The charges are quite higher for commercial vehicles. However, politicians and govt employees are exmpeted,
The amount is collected at five toll plazas en route the 114-km stretch. In case car owners opt for a two-way ticket (return pass valid for 24 hours), he has to shell out Rs 363.
The first toll fee is collected at Solakhian in Ropar whereas the fifth is at Mangarh village near Dasuya. Commuters say apart from money, the frequent halts on the route are an irritant.
As one moves from Chandigarh towards Pathankot, a car owner has to pay Rs 41 (Rs 61 for two-way pass) at Solakhian (Ropar), 36 km from Chandigarh. Move 30 km ahead, another plaza comes at Kathgarh where Rs 35 (Rs 56 for return pass) has to be paid.
At the next three stoppages, an amount of Rs 51 each (Rs 82 for two-way journey) has to be paid at Majari (22 km from previous plaza at Kathgarh), Chabbewal (52 km from Majari) and Mangarh (40 km from Chabbewal).
“I have to visit Chandigarh at least twice a week for my business. I end up spending Rs 61 every time for travelling a mere 8 km on this stretch,” says Surmukh Singh, owner of a toy shop in Ropar.
Amrit Lal, owner of a restaurant located adjoining the toll barrier at Nangal Shaheedan village (Chabbewal) says he has to pay Rs 51 as toll fee to deliver meals at Rayat Bahra College situated across the barrier.
Though the Lok Sabha candidates of various parties raised the issue in the run-up to the parliamentary elections, the zeal to resolve it appeared missing, say locals. The politicians from the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and the Congress, though, assured that they “will work out some relief”.
Residents say they “have been exhausted of staging protests against these toll barriers, set up years ago”.
These barriers notwithstanding, the state government, say sources, is planning to set up two more toll plazas in Ropar district, though not on the Chandigarh-Dasuya route. The new barriers have reportedly been planned on the Ropar-Chamkaur Sahib and Kurali-Siswan links.
Apart from the Chandigarh-Dasuya-Pathankot stretch, the Ropar district has one toll plaza each on the Kurali-Ropar, Ropar-Anandpur Sahib and Ropar-Balachaur stretches.