Assam: Protest against toll plaza in Bajali; police resort to lathi charge to disperse crowd

Several members of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) staged massive agitations against the toll gate authorities at Golia near Bhawanipur in Bajali on Sunday, November 6.

The protest led by AAP leader Kamal Kumar Medhi alleged that the Golia toll gate was illegal and that it shoud be demolished. 

He said that they were given permission by the District Commissioner to stage the protest and that the protest was a peaceful one. 

He further said that the District Superintendent of  Police Dharemendra Das is involved in toll plaza racket.
“We will not allow police administration to mix up with the toll plaza”, he said. 

According to the protestors the distance between Dahalpara toll-plaza and Galia toll-plaza is 47.3km and is in contravention of highway rules. According to the rules, no two toll plazas on a national highway should function in less than a distance of 60 km.

They claimed that the people of Assam don’t have problem in paying toll tax. But even after the completion of construction of road, NH31 has deep potholes and that it needs to be properly repaired. 

They even claimed that said that Golia toll gate lacks NHAI toll-plaza norms such Basic Medical treatment facility and Availability of drinking water for travelers. 

According to reports, the toll gate authorities attacked the protestors in the presence of the police. 
Situation turned grim soon after. Police resorted to lathi-charge and arrested the protesting members.