Mangaluru Lawyers Launch Inspection and Legal Offensive Against New Toll Plaza
A delegation of prominent lawyers, spearheaded by senior advocate S Balan, conducted a detailed inspection of the ongoing toll plaza construction at Ganjimutt–Sooralpadi in Mangaluru on Sunday. The team, which included senior advocates Dinesh Hegde Ulepadi and Mohammed Hanif, along with journalist Naveen Soorinje, was coordinated by Muneer Katipalla, a key member of the Anti-Toll Gate Struggle Committee.
Committee's Dual Strategy: Protests and Judicial Intervention
The Anti-Toll Gate Struggle Committee has already initiated a public movement opposing the proposed toll. During the inspection, Katipalla emphasized to the delegation that, in addition to street protests, judicial intervention is crucial. He highlighted that several coastal highway projects are in the pipeline, with attempts to install multiple toll gates, making legal action essential to prevent what he described as "illegal tolls" from emerging in the future.
Proximity Concerns and Local Impact
The Sooralpadi toll gate is strategically located, raising significant concerns for residents. It sits merely 36 kilometers from the Talapady toll, 45 kilometers from the Hejamadi toll, and 35 kilometers from the BC Road toll. More critically, the new toll at Ganjimutt–Sooralpadi is just 17 kilometers from Nanthoor. This proximity means locals must cross it to access essential destinations such as the Ganjimutt mosque, various temples, marriage halls, and schools. The delegation was informed that this would impose serious hardships on the community, necessitating an unavoidable legal fight alongside ongoing public demonstrations.
Legal Team Questions Highway Department's Decisions
The lawyers present raised pointed questions about the highway department's policies. They demanded explanations for why the responsibility of toll gates is being transferred to private firms and why the public must bear the financial burden of toll collection. Senior advocate S Balan stated firmly, "As per the law, we will challenge all aspects in court, including highway tenders and toll collection. On behalf of the Anti-Toll Gate Struggle Committee, an appropriate legal battle will be initiated in the high court."
Document Collection for Comprehensive Legal Action
The delegation outlined a meticulous plan for the legal process, which will commence after gathering a comprehensive set of documents. These include orders abolishing tolls in Kerala, the notification cancelling the Surathkal toll, other relevant government notifications, and orders from different states where tolls have been scrapped. Additionally, they will collect highway contract tenders linked to the jurisdictions of Sooralpadi, Uppinangady Valalu, and Madanthyar Panappila to build a robust case against the toll implementation.
This move underscores a growing resistance to toll gate proliferation in the region, with legal experts and activists uniting to protect local interests through both judicial and public avenues.
