Political leaders, Kolhapur Anti Toll Committee members lead agitators over 'unjust' toll collection issue
Agitation against toll collection took a violent turn in Kolhapur on Sunday morning. The four toll plazas situated at the main entrances of the city were allegedly vandalised by members of various political parties and Kolhapur Anti Toll Committee (KATC).
The agitators damaged the office of IRB Infrastructure Developers, a private company which manages the toll booths on nine roads leading to the city. As many as 15,000 people, political party workers turned violent on Sunday morning after they came to know about that the IRB authorities have started taking toll from people since midnight in the city. Following this, Shiroli, Phulewadi, Sarnobatwadi and Phulewadi toll plazas were damaged by the protesters, out of which two were set on fire.
KATC members had launched a hunger strike since past six days alleging that the IRB construction quality was pathetic. They were against paying toll. On Friday, senior political leader ND Patil too had joined the hunger strike.
Taking note of the strike, minister of state for home Satej Patil and labour minister Hasan Mushrif met the activists on Saturday evening and assured them that the government would ask the IRB to stop toll collection.
Nivas Salunkhe a conveyor of KATC said, “The ministers promised us government intervention and assured to stop the toll collection. They also gave us a memorandum to this effect. With this promise, we called off the strike. However, the company did not follow the ministers instructions and continued taking the toll from the people. This led to the drastic step of vandalisation of toll booths on Sunday morning.” Turn to p4
Kolhapur mayor Sunita Raut along with two Shiv Sena MLAs and other party workers were present at the Shiroli toll booth on Sunday morning. The Kolhapur Police neither detained the protesters nor took any preventive action.
The police, on the other hand, claimed that additional collector Appasaheb Dulaj had ordered them not to lathi charge or fire at the protesters. “It was a pre-planned conspiracy by all political parties. They suddenly attacked the toll plazas. We were short staffed and also were held back by the orders of the additional collector, so we could not lathi charge or fire. The protesters damaged the toll booths and the IRB office in front of us,” deputy superintendent of police (city) Vitthal Pawar said.
Pawar said they none of the protestors had been arrested so far, but situation was under control. “We took the Sangli and Satara Police’s help to mitigate the situation. About 1,000 policemen have been deployed at various toll plazas in the city to keep the situation under control.
The Other Side..
When dna contacted Virendra Mahiskar, chairman and managing director of IRB, he had this to say: “As far as construction work is concerned, the consultant has submitted their report to the government. The experts’ committee too has given positive reports. Hence there is no question about the quality of work.”
On being asked why the IRB authorities did not follow the orders of minister Satej Patil and Hasan Mushrif, Mahiskar said, “The ministers have intervened in the matter and found a solution. But, did not give anything in written. As a result, we did not stop collection toll from the people. We have followed the court order. Had the ministers given anything in a written form, we would not have taken toll from the people.”
Mhaiskar clarified that KATC had approached the court in this regard and two of their PIL’s are pending. They should not have taken law into their hands. They should have faith in judiciary.”
Origin of the whole issue
Members of KATC had started an indefinite hunger strike on January 6. The fast, in front of the Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) building, saw a huge response by the people. About 10,000 people had turned out at the venue in support of the KATC’s demand.
According to the KATC members, the state government, the KMC and the IRB were to construct 49 km roads in the city. The IRB was entitled to collect the toll to compensate their investment. “The work started in 2009 and completed in 2011. The IRB initiated the toll collection system in December 2011, but it was stopped the same month over allegations that the work was yet incomplete and of bad quality.” But later the collection started again.
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