Copyright thehindu
After talks with Union Minister of State Harsh Malhotra over the exemption of toll tax on the Urban Extension Road-II (UER-II) failed, representatives of Delhi’s rural villages on Friday announced that they will give the Centre time till October 26 to come up with a solution before intensifying their agitation. The delegation, led by Palam 360 khap chief Surender Solanki, said Wednesday’s meeting with the Minister yielded no result as he suggested a service lane for villagers instead of toll exemption. “This is unacceptable to us. We demand a complete waiver of toll for Delhi’s rural belt on the Mundka-Bakkarwala toll plaza along UER-II.” The villagers have now called a mahapanchayat on October 26, adding that they may seek help from khap panchayats and farmer unions in Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh to solve the issue. On September 21, hundreds of farmers and villagers attended a mahapanchayat in Bakkarwala village, and vowed not to accept the “unjustified” toll. Villagers have demanded proper slip roads and U-turns along the corridor, in line with other highways, to ease local movement.
