Stir against toll plaza contractors near Attari enters Day 3

Residents of villages in border areas near Attari led by farmers’ organisations, including the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha and Border Area Sangharsh Committee, staged a protest for the third consecutive day today against the contractors of the toll plaza on National Highway No. 1 near Chiddan village.

They have been demanding an exemption from paying toll, reasoning that they have to come to the city even for their basic needs such medical facilities and as such they have to pay the toll every time they cross the toll plaza.

The protesters, led by Nirmal Singh Mode, Mukhtar Singh and Baba Arjun Singh, strongly demanded that the contractors provide exemption to the local residents as had been the case with all previous contractors.

They stated that border area residents have to face incontinence during tensions with Pakistan. Baba Arjan Singh said, “Even for medical emergencies people have to rush to hospitals in the city as we do not have much facilities in the border region.” He said that asking people to pay toll every time they cross Chiddan village is just like an extortion. He added that people even come to sell their produce at agricultural markets in the city.

Senior farmer leader Rattan Singh Randhawa said, “The government already charges road tax from the public when anyone buys a vehicle.” He said that the government could provide an alternate road for the benefit of the local residents.

The protest was attended by former and incumbent sarpanches of 40 villages in the area, who asked the administration to find a solution to the problem faced by the residents.

Amritsar