Nawanshahr, June 20
Commuting between Phagwara and Ropar is all set to become expensive. The two toll tax barriers are coming up at Behram and Kathgarh, both in Nawanshahr district.
The preparations are in full swing to make the barriers fully functional. The construction of booths is over and the weight assessing apparatus, to check overloading of trucks, has been put in place. Computers and other electronic gadgets would also be installed soon.
Even as the date of opening and the amount of tax to be levied has not been announced, the employees of Ahmedgarh-based Rohan and Rajdeep Toll Works Ltd, the company which has been assigned the contract, have been doing a survey for the last five days to gauge the average number of cars and other heavy vehicles plying daily on the road.
The survey sheet revealed that a total of 113 cars went from Ropar side to Phagwara between 8 and 9 am. The number increased to 229 between 9 and 10 am, clearly indicating towards a heavy traffic rush.
According to sources, the toll tax would be on the lines of what is charged at Hoshiarpur, Dasuya and Garhshankar barriers, as the same company has got both the contracts. At these three points, the firm is charging Rs 29 (single-side) from light motor vehicles while truck owners have to shell out Rs 88.
The charges levied on overloaded trucks are too on a higher side. The maximum truck load allowed is 9 tonnes. For 10 per cent extra load, the firm is charging Rs 132 from truckers. For 20 per cent overload, the amount goes up to Rs 163.
The employees of the firm said a similar survey was conducted at Hoshiarpur prior to tax introduction. They claimed that after the tax was levied, it was revealed that the average number of vehicles passing on the route had gone down, indicating that commuters had started exploring alternate routes to avoid tax.
Executive Engineer Nawanshahr S.S. Shahi confirmed that tax collection would start soon, but was unable to tell the
exact amount.
Daily commuters on the road have expressed resentment over coming up of new tax barriers. “These are nothing but ways to fleece the public,” said a commuter.
