Ladhowal Toll Plaza: Project incomplete but rates revised again

Much to the chagrin of commuters, the rate of Ladhowal Toll Plaza located on National Highway – I (Now called NH- 44) have been revised yet again. Now, a commuter in a car will have to pay ₹130 for a one-way trip while multiple trips within 24-hours will cost him ₹190. Earlier commuters used to pay ₹125 for one-way and ₹185 for a round trip.

Ladhowal Toll Plaza, said to be among the costliest toll plaza of the country, has often courted controversy. It was also a poll issue before elections. Member of Parliament Ravneet Singh Bittu and the entire Congress unit of the district had staged a protest at toll plaza in February earlier this year and halted the toll process at the plaza for over 24 hours. Only after work at flyover projects resumed that the leaders lifted their dharna.

Similarly, Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) chief Simarjeet Singh Bains has remained at loggerheads with toll plaza authorities due to traffic chaos at toll plaza. The number of toll booths were increased after he repeatedly protested.

Criticising the price revision, Rahul Verma, member of Punjab Road Safety Council (PRSC) said instead of bringing respite, the Jalandhar- Panipat highway road project has brought more misery.

Vishal Gautam, project director of NHAI, following whose intervention the project has begun to gain pace, said rates have been revised as per the contract.

“The latest increase in the Ladowal toll rates is indeed surprising. Even the completed parts are poorly made and pose grave danger to commuters. We pay toll but are still miserable. Instead of penalising the authorities for the risky state of the highway project, they are being allowed to further fleece hapless citizens by increasing toll rates,” said Paramvir Singh Bhogal, a daily commuter.