Congress MLA walks the talk, stages dharna at toll plaza site

BHOPAL: Cross with his own party government, a Congress MLA from Mandla Ashok Marskole sat on dharna in front of toll tax barrier on Jabalpur-Barela road on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the legislator, opposing the setting up of toll tax barrier on the under-construction road, has written to PWD minister warning of staging a dharna against levying of toll charges on local commuters.

Marskole, while talking to Free Press said construction work on the road on Jabalpur-Mandla National Highway is 50 per cent pending even then a toll plaza has been installed and commuters are being charged.

“The road condition is very poor and almost every day one or other accident is being witnessed there. On Monday a bus overturned near Narayanpur. Even as the road is far from completion, the contractor has started collecting toll tax, which illegal,” claimed the MLA.

“I had raised the issue in the state assembly and even talked to the collector, but he has no idea about the incomplete road construction,” he added.

Marskole said he had written to PWD minister Sajjan Singh Verma on Tuesday seeking action against the contractor and the official concerned. We had warned to hold dharna at the toll tax barrier on Wednesday if their demand were not addressed, said the MLA.

The legislator claimed that a large number of people had gathered at the dharna site raising slogans against union government for the incomplete work.

The MLA informed that the officials and the contractor who came to dharna site have assured to resume the construction work very soon. They have also assured not to take any toll on local buses of three districts and that charge would only be levied on the long route heavy vehicles, informed MLA.

The officials have assured to initiate action in a week’s time and in the meantime they would talk with the GoI and to resolve the issue, said the MLA.