‘The people manning these toll gates of the Council are collecting Rs 500 from the non-tribal truck drivers and Rs 250 from the locals’
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 31: A total of 18 toll gates of the KHADC’s Forest department are spelling trouble for the truckers, according to the Meghalaya Commercial Truck Owners and Drivers Association (MCTODA), which on Thursday submitted a petition to KHADC Chief Executive Member Pyniaid Sing Syiem seeking the Council’s intervention to stop this alleged rampant collection by the toll gates of the Council operating along the PWD roads.
Out of the 18 toll gates of the Council which allegedly indulge in rampant collection, six are located at Mawshynrut, three each in Mawlai and Umsning, one each at Mawphlang-Diengiei, Mawthadraishan and Sohiong, besides the three gates of the Hima Mylliem at Mawlyndep, Narbong, Byrnihat and 13 Mer, Byrnihat, according to the association.
Speaking to reporters, MCTODA president Moskalander Marngar said that the KHADC CEM had told them that he is unaware about the matter.
According to him, the CEM stated that the KHADC is working on a plan on streamlining the operation of these toll gates.
While lauding the response of the KHADC CEM, he said that Syiem had taken the initiative to remove all the toll gates which were operating along the Shillong Bypass which falls under his constituency as soon he took over as the CEM.
He said that there is no one who is harassing or extorting the truckers along the Shillong Bypass.
“It looks like that it depends on the individual MDC of the respective constituency for setting up of these toll gates. Even the KHADC CEM told us that he will need to consult with his fellow MDCs on these toll gates which are in operation,” the MCTODA president said.
Marngar also alleged that the people who are manning these toll gates of the Council are collecting Rs 500 from the non-tribal truck drivers and Rs 250 from the locals. “I don’t really understand why there are two separate rates. It is really confusing,” he said.
MCTODA president said that the KHADC CEM also denied having any knowledge about the illegal collection since this must be the job of the people who are operating these toll gates.
Meanwhile, MCTODA adviser Joannes Lamare said that they had written to the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways in April this year to apprise the central government about these purported illegal collections of the so-called Council toll gates.
According to him, the reply from the Ministry is very clear that the operation of toll gates along the national highways and state roads is illegal.