No toll as protesters take charge of plazas

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 12

On the call of various farmers' organisations for toll-free movement for one day in support of their protest, farmers in Haryana took over several toll plazas in the state on Saturday, allowing commuters to pass without paying fee.

They raised slogans at various toll plazas and staged dharna. The police were deployed to maintain law and order.

Gharaunda MLA kalyan gheraoed

Karnal: Farmers, who were staging dharna at Bastara toll plaza, on Saturday gheraoed Gharaunda MLA Harvinder Kalyan's vehicle. They raised slogan against the government. The MLA was however allowed to cross the toll after five minutes. The MLA was going to Gharaunda to attend a programme. TNS

Karnal: Farmers took over the Bastara toll plaza on the NH-44 and Peont toll plaza on the Karnal-Jind NH-709A, causing loss to the toll companies running into lakhs.

Farmers closed the Bastara toll plaza around Friday midnight, but the toll authorities reopened it on Saturday morning. Farmers took charge again around 8 am. "We will continue our protest till the fulfilment of our demand of a complete rollback of laws," said Joginder Singh, a farmer.

Ambala: Punjab farmers reached the Shambhu plaza on the Ambala-Amritsar NH. Even before protesters started converging on the spot, the toll administration stopped charging toll.

Waving black and red flags, a large number of farmers made a brief halt at the Shambhu barrier to hold a symbolic demonstration before marching towards Delhi.

Toll plaza in charge Ravi Tiwari said to avert confrontation, the collection of toll was stopped at Friday midnight.

Jhajjar/Rohtak: Farmers staged dharna at the Dighal toll plaza on the Rohtak-Jhajjar highway, Makrauli toll plaza on the Rohtak-Panipat road and Rohad toll plaza on the Rohtak-Delhi highway for more than five hours.

Hisar: Farmers reached the toll plazas in Ramayan village on the Hisar-Delhi highway, Choudhriwas on the Hisar-Rajgarh road, Baddo Patti on the Hisar-Chandigarh highway and Landhri on the Hisar-Sirsa highway on Saturday morning.

Officials at the toll plaza did not oppose the farmers' demand of not collecting toll. Officials shut cameras installed for scanning FASTag stickers on vehicles.

Gurugram: The district remained untouched by the farmers' call. There was heavy police deployment on all borders and the Kherki Daula toll plaza. Five farmers who came in a car were detained and let off later.

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