Padubidri, May 24, 2024: Residents under the leadership of Action Committee against Hejamady Toll staged a protest meeting in front of the toll gate on Friday opposing the withdrawal of toll exemption given to locals at the toll plaza.

Hundreds of people participated in the protest and took to task the authorities of the toll gate. As many locals had lost their lands for the highway development, following a decision taken at a meeting convened by the DC in 2016, toll exemption was provided for locals of Padubidri, Sasthan and Kota. However all of a sudden the toll amount was found deducted from the FASTag accounts of local vehicle owners leading to today’s protest.
Toll Manager Timmaiah who accepted memorandum said the issue would be resolved and a meeting would be convened in this regard by DC. He said the toll exemption status quo will be maintained until then.