Manali: The toll plaza set up on National Highway-3 in Dohlunallah between Kullu and Manali is now starting to take the form of a mass movement. After more than a dozen organizations in the valley, now the brother of forest minister Govind Singh Thakur’s has also come down against this toll plaza.
Chhavinder Thakur, a BJP leader and brother of the forest minister who is running the Save Manali Front organization has dashed an urgent memo to Chief Minister Jairam Thakur seeking his intervention in finding a permanent solution to the toll plaza set up by National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) at Dohlunallah on Kullu-Manali road.
Chhavinder Thakur argues that there was no justification for setting up a toll plaza just 24 km before Manali at the end of the national highway.
In the interest of farmers, orchardist, tourism traders and tourists of Kullu-Manali, it would be appropriate that this toll plaza be removed permanently. Otherwise local people should be exempt from toll tax, said Chhavinder.
Ghanshyam Kapoor, co-chairman of the Toll Plaza Sangharsh Samiti says that Chhavinder Thakur’s opposition to the toll plaza is the answer for those who were trying to link the issue to party politics.
Earlier on Tuesday people of the valley had come out on the road to protest against the toll plaza at Dohlunallah on the National Highway Kullu-Manali.
People were protesting against the toll plaza at Dohlunallah on the national highway of Kullu-Manali. People associated with various organizations including Congress workers and Toll Plaza Sangharsh Samiti are demanding removal of toll plaza.
Representatives of various organizations, including Chairman of Toll Plaza Sangharsh Samiti, Rajgir Mahant have reached the spot. Everyone was demanding the removal of the toll plaza
The Congress workers also staged a massive protest in Manali against the government over the toll plaza at Dohlunallah on Chandigarh-Manali highway near Manali.
They raised slogans against the government over demand for removal of toll plaza. The procession was led by Congress leader Hari Chand Sharma, who was accompanied by large number of party workers of the Manali valley.
Hari Chand Sharma said the state and Central government were not serious over this issue. The opposition of people was rising day by day, which is directly impacting the common man. The government had been failed to sort the issue.
Harichand said the people of Manali were more concerned about the toll plaza and Congress supported their genuine cause. He said if the government failed to shift the toll plaza, the Congress would stage a massive protest.
Sanjay Dutta, an engineer by qualification but is a journalist by choice.
He has worked for the premier new agency Press Trust of India and leading English daily Indian Express.
With more than a decade of experience, he has been highlighting issues related to environment, tourism and other aspects affecting mountain ecology.
Sanjay Dutta lives in a village close to Manali in Kullu valley of Himachal.
