Demand for suspension of toll collection grows in landslide hit areas of mandi district.
2
3
Kullu: Calls are mounting to suspend toll collections on the landslide-battered Chandigarh-Manali highway in Himachal Pradesh, with retired war hero Brigadier Khushal Thakur accusing the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) of having "no legal or moral ground" to charge commuters.
Thakur, a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), told The TOI on Friday that the Takoli toll plaza in Mandi district should be shut until road conditions improved. He said the stretch between Mandi and Takoli had been closed repeatedly for more than a month due to frequent landslides, causing severe disruption.
The Takoli and Dohlunala toll plazas were closed in July 2023 after the flooded Beas river damaged the road.
Takoli resumed operations in Jan, but Dohlunala remains shut amid protests over its legality, with locals noting that two toll barriers cannot be within 60 km — the two are 57 km apart.
Madan Sharma, general secretary of the Fourlane Visthapit and Prabahavit Samiti, has called the toll charges "daylight loot", arguing that commuters are paying even while highway widening work continues and landslides regularly choke traffic.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
No annual fees for life
UnionBank Credit Card
Apply Now
Undo
He also urged the closure of Baloh toll plaza in Bilaspur, where travel near Tunnel No. 1 is often disrupted. NHAI project director Varun Chari did not respond to requests for comment.
Meanwhile, traffic between Kullu and Mandi crawled on Friday as more than 300 roads remained blocked statewide, including 226 in Mandi and 117 in Kullu, according to the State Emergency Operations Centre. A massive landslide near Jhiri in Mandi blocked the highway for hours before being cleared. In all, 631 power transformers and 182 water supply schemes remain down across Himachal Pradesh, leaving many areas without electricity or water.
Stay updated with the latest local news from your
city
on
Times of India
(TOI). Check upcoming
bank holidays
,
public holidays
, and current
gold rates
and
silver prices
in your area.
Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with
Raksha Bandhan wishes
,
messages
and
quotes
!
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
High court directs govt to revive KMTA by Nov 1
Kochi: In an order that could improve the transport infrastructure of the city, Kerala High Court issued a directive asking state govt to revive Kochi Metropolitan Transport Authority (KMTA) by Nov 1. KMTA came into force in 2020 but is yet to be fully operational and there is a strong demand from various quarters to revive it. Considering a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Richard Rajesh Kumar and Arjun P Bhaskar, the court said that KMTA should be fully operational by Kerala Piravi Day and govt can provide adequate staff and funds for the proper functioning of the authority. KMTA, the first of its kind in India to integrate, plan and regulate different commuting modes in Kochi, was inaugurated on Nov 1, 2020. The authority is chaired by transport minister and has transport secretary as its vice-chairman. However, there was no major initiative from KMTA to strengthen the public transport system in the city, except for some initiatives like forming a society of autorickshaw unions and seven companies of bus operators in the city. KMTA convened its first meeting on Jan 22, 2021, and took various decisions for the smooth and timely implementation of integrated transport projects in the city. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Legendary Stars: Timeless Icons Reportingly Undo But there was no further action by the authorities. As per section 12 of KMTA Act, 2019, the authority is conferred with a wide range of duties and functions to maintain the effective development of urban transport. The act envisages a comprehensive mobility plan and includes developments such as technology-based solutions for traffic management, detection of traffic offences, parking infrastructure and other such developments. Govt had mooted a plan to increase the urban mobility area under KMTA three years ago and a proposal regarding this was presented at its board meeting. As per this, nine municipalities and 29 panchayats should be brought under KMTA's purview to ensure its proper functioning. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Commuters demand additional Memu service via Kottayam to T'puram
T'puram: Commuters who travel between Ernakulam and Thiruvananthapuram are demanding that the railways introduce a Memu service in the evening towards Thiruvananthapuram to ease passenger congestion. This will also help commuters who board and disembark at enroute stations like Kottayam. The evening Memu service to Kollam is packed because the frequency of trains in the evening to the state capital is low. Liyons J of Friends on Rails said, "Despite the benefits of a double track, passengers from Kottayam are struggling with just eight coaches in the evening. After the Kollam Memu at 5.40pm passes, regular commuters rely on the Venad Express, which arrives in Kottayam packed. After the afternoon Parasuram, the next service from Tripunithura, an IT hub, towards Thiruvananthapuram is the Venad, three hours later. This long gap causes uncontrolled congestion in the Memu from Kottayam. " Friends on Rails demanded a train towards Thiruvananthapuram after 3pm to alleviate the woes of people who travel via Kottayam. The demand for a Memu service in the afternoon via Kottayam has been longstanding. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like These 11 Everyday Foods Might Be the Key to Knee Pain Relief Undo Women and students travel daily from Ernakulam and Tripunithura to Kottayam, packed tightly, even in stairways and toilet corridors, Liyons added. Additionally, with limited stops, passengers rely more on Kerala Express at 5pm and Venad Express at 5.20pm, leading to heavy congestion on these trains. The absence of trains towards Thiruvananthapuram after the Venad forces passengers from Tripunithura into precarious travel situations. After the Parasuram at 15.28pm from Kottayam, travellers to Changanassery, Thiruvalla, Mavelikkara, Karunagappally and all halt stations rely solely on the 5.40pm Kottayam - Kollam Memu. But it has fewer coaches and is crowded, he said. "A 16-car ICF passenger rake Kumbh is now available at Kollam Junction. Old ICF rakes from trains like the Velankanni Express, now upgraded to modern LHB coaches, are lying at various division stations. These can be used for running additional services," Liyons said. J Emma, a regular commuter, said more trains are required to meet the demands of commuter traffic. "The trains are also slow as they have to make way for express services," she said. The railways is tweaking operations to add more services and improve speed, but the line congestion is too high between Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
Time of India
4 hours ago
- Time of India
Four tent cities to come up in Nashik during Kumbh Mela
Nashik: Four tent cities will be set up in Nashik during the upcoming Simhastha Kumbh Mela by three different authorities to provide accommodation facilities to devotees and tourists attending the mega religious event. The state tourism department will set up the tent cities for devotees at least at two locations, while the state industry department will establish a separate tent city for industrialists. Additionally, the Marathi language department of the state will set up the fourth tent city for litterateurs. The Simhastha Kumbh Mela is scheduled to be held between 2026 and 2028 in Nashik. The flag hoisting will take place in Oct 2026, and three major amrit snans (holy baths) are set to take place between Aug and Sept 2027. These events are expected to draw the largest crowds to the city during these months. Around 5 crore people are anticipated to visit. "We have plans to set up tent cities at two locations at least, but we are yet to finalise the locations. We may set up one tent city near the Gangapur dam on the outskirts of Nashik city. We are planning to set up around 200 tents there for the devotees or tourists coming to Nashik for the Simhastha Kumbh Mela. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Even Beautiful Women Have Their 'Oops' Moments Read More Undo Moreover, another tent city is to be set up along the Trimbak Road in Nashik," said a senior official from the tourism department. Uday Samant, the state minister for industries and Marathi language, who was in Nashik on Monday, said the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) will establish a tent city for industrialists during the Kumbh Mela in Nashik. "The industrialists from across the country and overseas will be visiting Nashik for the Kumbh Mela. We will provide them with accommodation and other facilities in the tent city. Moreover, we are also targeting that at least 10 of the industrialists visiting Nashik will go for expansion of their production here within a year or two after the Kumbh Mela," said Samant while addressing a gathering of representatives of various industrial associations during a meeting held at the office of the Nashik Industries and Manufacturers' Association (NIMA). Samant further said that the Marathi language department of the state will also set up a separate tent city for the litterateurs from across the country. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
