BJP MP Pratap Simha hits out at Oppn on Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway toll row

Kodagu Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who played a vital role in sanctioning the ambitious Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway project from the union transport and highway department, on Wednesday clapped back at opposition leaders who levelled several allegations over its toll fee.

The Congress had claimed that toll is being charged even when no facilities are given, hinting at the incomplete service road. To this, Simha clarified that no toll is charged for service roads. The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, recently inaugurated by prime minister Narendra Modi, has 10 lanes, of which six are part of the carriageway and the rest are service roads.

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He also took a dig at Congress MP DK Suresh's remarks that PM Modi inaugurated an ‘incomplete project’ as an ‘election stunt’, and said only the service roads are yet to be finished, which were delayed as there is a court case going over the matter.

“We are taking measures to provide service roads all along the expressway. There is no uninterrupted service road anywhere on any other highway or expressway in the country. Take NICE road or Tumkur road for example, they don't have service roads,” he said. Simha also pointed out that tolls have been charged even on PWD-constructed highways for a long time.

JD(S) protests against toll charges for motorists

The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway has been in the news for several controversies after toll collection began on March 14, with protests from both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) against the allegedly high toll fees charged for motorists.

The JD(S) held a protest on Thursday at the expressway's Kaniminike toll plaza by blocking the road, after which several workers were detained by police. Visuals shared by several on social media showed huge crowds gathered at the toll plaza, with several sitting in the middle of the expressway. Many protestors also raised slogans demanding justice.

Former CM HD Kumaraswamy's son, Nikhil Kumaraswamy, spoke to reporters and said, “The decision to charge a toll on this highway is absolutely ridiculous. The service road is not open and they have already started collecting tolls. There is no primary healthcare centre, and no toilets on the highway all these facilities should be there per the NHAI guidelines.”

“Unnecessary politicisation of toll collection”: says CM Bommai

Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai in this matter said "unnecessary politicisation" is the reason behind the protests against toll collection on the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway.

"Before NHAI came in, everyone knew it would be a toll road. It is being politicised, especially by Congress president D K Shivakumar, not the common people. His use of language, his conduct won't bring respect to Kannadigas," Bommai said.

“We are going by law, we will not do anything against the law, we have allowed vehicles on service roads at several places and there is no toll there. Unnecessarily it is being politicised,” he added.