On 16 September 2024, members of the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MMK) party vandalized a toll booth in Trichy, breaking glass frames, as part of their protest against ongoing toll fee increases. This demonstration was part of a larger movement at various toll booths across Tamil Nadu, leading to significant traffic disruptions throughout the region.
Participants included party members from Madurai, Trichy, Chengalpattu, and other southern districts, who attempted to block operations at the Kappalur toll plaza in Tirumangalam and the Thuvakkudi toll booth in Trichy. The protest was led by MH Jawahirullah, President of MMK, at the Paranur toll plaza in Chengalpattu.
In Trichy, MMK MLA Abdul Samad spearheaded the agitation, staging a road blockade near the Thuvakkudi toll booth on the Tiruchi-Thanjavur national highway. Protesters demanded an end to the rising toll rates and urged the government to stop the establishment of new toll plazas in the state.
MMK argued that biannual toll fee hikes burden commuters and increase prices for essential goods due to higher transportation costs. MLA Abdul Samad highlighted that Tamil Nadu currently has 67 toll booths, three of which recently opened in Villupuram. He noted that these toll booths collectively generate around ₹50 crore daily, resulting in an annual toll collection of approximately ₹18,000 crore.
The protests followed a recent increase in vehicle user fees by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The NHAI raised toll charges by ₹5 to ₹25 at 34 toll plazas across Tamil Nadu after the June Lok Sabha elections, depending on the type of vehicle.
டோல் காசு எதுக்குடா தரணும்? இறங்கிவந்த எம்.எல்.ஏ! அடுத்த நொடி சூறையாடப்பட்ட டோல்கேட்.. | Trichy #NakkheeranKalam #NakkheeranTV #tiruchirappallidistrictnews pic.twitter.com/02WLQHGWIO
— Nakkheeran (@nakkheeranweb) September 18, 2024
(With inputs from The Hindu)
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