Residents of 500 villages along Sohna Road protest toll plaza set up at Ghamroj

Around 500 villages along the Sohna Road on Sunday held a mahapanchayat to protest against the setting up of a toll plaza at Ghamroj village on the under-construction Sohna elevated road.

The locals alleged that already six toll plazas are operating in different state and national roads in Sohna tehsil and they will not accept a new toll plaza on this particular road. The mahapanchayat said that locals have agricultural farms, shops, businesses and families living in a number of villages along the 19-km-long Sohna Road and demanded complete exemption from toll.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is building the Sohna elevated road project in two phases. The first phase is around seven-kilometre long and comprises an underpass from Rajiv Chowk towards Subhas chowk and an elevated road beyond Badshahpur. The second phase is 12.72-kilometre and includes elevated and surface road, which is access controlled and users will have to pay toll fees. The entire project is likely to be completed by June.

The mahapanchayat, which met near the toll plaza at Ghamroj village, decided that a committee of prominent citizens will be formed and they will approach the state and central government for relief.

Satbir Khatana, who had called the mahapanchayat, said that the toll plaza should be set at the Delhi-Mumbai expressway so that people using the highway pay toll. “Why should local villagers who have been using this road for decades pay a toll? The government must deliver on the promise to exempt the locals living on the 20-kilometre stretch on both sides of the highway from toll fees,” he said.

The protesters also said that while the state and central governments have failed to deliver on improving other roads in the district, they are forcing another toll plaza on the citizens. “The exit and entry points must be increased on the highway and the toll plaza must be located outside Sohna so that local commuters don’t suffer,” said Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) councillor Mahesh Dayma.

Locals from Badshahpur, Tikli, Bandhwari and other adjoining villages said that they will join hands to fight against the proposed toll plaza.

Tejpal Tanwar, former Sohna MLA and senior BJP leader said that they will meet chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the local MP and Union highways minister Nitin Gadkari and apprise them about the concerns of local residents. “We are confident that the state and central leadership will hear the genuine issue of locals and provide relief,” he said.

Senior JJP leader Anant Ram Tanwar, who was also present at the mahapanchayat called all stakeholders to unite so that their objective can be achieved.

PK Kaushik, project director, NHAI, said that all local residents will get a monthly pass costing ₹285 with unlimited usage of the highway. “The tractors are not charged toll fees; the two-wheelers are also not charged any fees. A road user who owns a car can afford to pay ₹285 monthly for unlimited usage. A world class road is being constructed and funds will be needed to maintain it in the future,” he said.