Assam Congress Chief Demands Suspension of Assam Highway Tolls
Gogoi slams unsafe highways, urges Gadkari for action.
Assam Congress president and Jorhat MP Gaurav Gogoi has called for an immediate suspension of toll collection on Assam’s dilapidated national highways in a letter to Union Highway Minister Nitin Gadkari. Citing the hazardous conditions of NH-27 and NH-37, Gogoi, the deputy leader of the opposition in Lok Sabha, argued that charging tolls for roads riddled with potholes, uneven surfaces, and waterlogging is unjust and dangerous.
In his letter, made public on Saturday, Gogoi highlighted the dire state of key highway stretches, particularly between Sonapur-Raha and Baihata Chariali-Nalbari (Galia toll plaza). “These roads endanger lives, damage vehicles, and cause significant delays,” he wrote, noting multiple accidents and growing public resentment. He emphasized that truckers and transporters, critical to Assam’s agrarian economy, face unsustainable costs, driving up prices for essential goods amid flood-related challenges, unemployment, and inflation.
Gogoi referenced a recent Supreme Court ruling on NH-544 in Kerala, which declared that toll collection is illegitimate on poorly maintained roads. “Citizens cannot be forced to pay tolls for navigating gutters and potholes,” he quoted, urging Gadkari to apply the same logic in Assam. The judgment, he argued, mandates safe and motorable roads as a prerequisite for tolls, a standard Assam’s highways currently fail to meet.
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The MP noted that public protests have erupted against toll plazas, with citizens decrying rising charges on unsafe roads. Gogoi had previously raised concerns about NH-37, but the situation on both NH-27 and NH-37 has deteriorated further, necessitating urgent action. He called on Gadkari to direct the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to suspend toll collection at the mentioned plazas until repairs are completed and the roads are certified motorable. Additionally, he demanded a comprehensive audit of all Assam toll plazas to ensure compliance with maintenance standards.
The appeal underscores the growing frustration among Assam’s residents, who face daily risks and economic burdens due to substandard highways. As Gogoi pushes for accountability, the issue highlights broader challenges in India’s infrastructure management, with implications for safety and economic stability in the region.
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