Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday closed the toll plaza on Moga-Kotakpura road near Chand Puraana, the 10^th in the state.

Speaking to reporters after closing Singhawala Toll Plaza, the chief minister said people had to pay a hefty amount of Rs 44.43 lakh while crossing these 10 toll plazas. He said with the closing of these 10 toll plazas, people will be immensely benefited and get a major relief.

He said people crossing on Moga-Kotakpura road had to pay Rs 4.68 lakh daily while crossing this Singhwala toll plaza but now their money will be saved.

Mann said these toll plazas were in reality the shops for the open loot of the general public. He said these tolls had plundered the public by flouting all the norms as per their agreement. Mann said it is surprising that instead of taking action against them in larger public interests, the successive state governments had patronised this loot by keeping a blind eye towards their misdeeds.

The CM said though the people had elected the governments for securing their interests but these power mad politicians shielded such defaulters just for their own vested interests.

He said the previous governments ignored the ambiguities of these erring toll plazas and allowed them to mint the money illegally without bothering the general public. Mann said at none of the toll plazas, shut so far, the facility of ambulance or recovery van was visible despite provision for it in the agreement.

The CM said the agreement of this toll plaza was signed on 25 September 2006 during the Captain Amarinder Singh government and the toll was imposed for 16.50 years. He said the first overlay of road which was to be done by the company was delayed by 158 days after which a fine of Rs 2.48 crore was imposed on the company. Mann said this fine was never recovered from the company by the government.

The CM said the toll could have been shut down on 10 November 2019 when the second overlay was not done and a fine worth Rs 3.89 crore was imposed on the erring company. He said it was a violation of the agreement because as per it if the amount of fine exceeded Rs 3.11 crore then the contract could have been terminated.

Mann said it never happened and the people in power allowed the company to flout the norms. He said the company was seeking an extension on the pretext of farmers agitation and Covid pandemic but his government has denied it.

He said that 60 days prior notice needs to be given to the company due to which they have served the notice to the company and closed the toll plaza today. Bhagwant Mann said that this work should have been done earlier but none of his predecessors bothered to secure the interests of people adding that rather they worked zealously for protecting the rights of the companies managing the toll plaza. He said more such toll plazas will be freed in coming days to give respite to the people.