NONGPOH, May 16: The Ri-Bhoi District Administration, accompanied by police personnel, on Friday shut down and sealed an illegal toll gate that had been re-established at Umdihar along National Highway 6—nearly one year and eight months after a similar gate was removed from the same location in September 2023.
The latest gate, reportedly installed under the current Executive Committee of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) led by the Voice of the People’s Party (VPP), was drawing public complaints over unauthorised toll collection, prompting swift administrative action.
Speaking to the media persons, Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal clarified that no government department, including the KHADC, is permitted to set up toll collection points on national or state highways without prior approval from the competent authorities.
He confirmed that since the illegal toll gate at Umdihar had no such approval, the district administration responded immediately to the complaints by dismantling the structure and sealing the area.
