CANACONA
Locals and activists from Canacona on Friday got operations temporarily suspended at a newly opened toll plaza at Shellim-Polem in Canacona after accusing a private operator of a faulty system, issuing wrong e-challans with hefty fines, and causing harassment to motorists.
Several motorists had complained of being traumatised and harassed after receiving e-challans with hefty fines despite possessing all valid vehicle documents such as the registration certificate, PUC certificate and insurance certificate.
“I don’t know how we got this e-challan, but when I approached the toll, which is reportedly managed by a private player, I was told to approach the Directorate of Transport office at Aquem-Margao,” complained an aggrieved motorist, who had been e-challaned and fined Rs 10,500 for unknown offences. “When I went there, transport officials claimed helplessness and asked me to contact the toll plaza.”
Incidentally, several motorists also complained of intolerable delays caused by the scanning of vehicles. They claimed that due to the slow functioning of the system, the scanning of each vehicle took over 30 seconds, causing huge traffic queues on either side of the NH66 highway.
Locals and activists from Canacona then went to the toll plaza and confronted the staff.
As tension escalated, government officials, including the Canacona Mamlatdar Gajesh Shirodkar, Transport Department Dy Director Rajesh Naik, Asst Director Nixon Soares, and Infotech Corporation of Goa Officer Verghese, rushed to the toll plaza at Shelim-Polem.
A police force led by Canacona SDPO Nilesh Rane, DySP (Traffic Cell South) Rajendra Prabhudesai, Canacona PI (Traffic) Gautham Salunke, Canacona PI Harish Raut Desai and Curchorem CID PI Sachin Panalkar was also stationed at the site.
Among the agitators present at the toll plaza were JanaSena head and Congress leader Janardhan Bhandari, along with former Shristhal sarpanch Ramu Naik and JanaSena warriors.
The new toll plaza temporarily halted operations, thereby defusing the tension. “After the closure, motorists in general got the much-needed respite from hefty fines, mental and physical harassment,” said Bhandari.
According to media reports, all pending challans issued from December 19 till date are likely to be cancelled on account of the faulty system.
