Floating of tender for toll gate
SHILLONG: The CEO of Tura Municipal Board finds himself embroiled in a row after he floated a tender to operate toll gates, which is tantamount to clear violation of the Supreme Court order which banned setting up of toll collection points in the State.
The concerned department is planning to cancel the tender citing its illegality.
The tender, issued on August 21 this year, says that Tura Municipal Board in order to generate revenue in the interest of the public and various civic amenities within the municipality area is planning to continue toll collection from commercial vehicles through a lessee at the existing routes for a period of 12 months.
The TMB had floated the tender for Daldagre on NEC/AMPT road, Chasingre on Tura-Guwahati-Shillong Road and Sangsanggre on Tura-Dalu-Baghmara road and the bidding amount for three locations varied from Rs 4 lakh to Rs 7.5 lakh
As per the documents, the rate of toll of commercial vehicles to be paid to TMB at toll collection points from October 1 was fixed Rs 10 for auto rickshaw, Rs 20 for sumo, Rs 70 for bus, and Rs 100 for trucks having ten or more wheels.
Irked with the decision of TMB to float the tender, the Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh had even summoned the CEO and sought an explanation. She also took up the matter with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma.
Officials from the Urban Affairs department said that permission must be taken from competent authorities before setting up any toll gate and now the department will issue an order canceling the tender.
Sources said that it is yet to be known the motive behind TMB calling the tender without following the proper procedure.
“If there is any direction from the higher ups or any other parties to call the tender, there is a need to have a thorough inquiry into the matter,” sources added.