Karnataka Speaker bats for separate lane at toll gates for MLAs, MPs and MLCs

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], July 7 : Karnataka Speaker UT Khader on Thursday asked the state's Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarakiholi to have a meeting with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to make sure all MLAs, MPs, MLCs and former ministers have a separate lane at toll gates.

The issue was raised after Congress MLA Narendra Swamy raised the issue during the session in the Karnataka Assembly. He raised the demand to have a separate lane for the VVIPs.

However, Speaker UT Khader later clarified that the whole issue came up when one of the MLAs spoke about a legislator who was harassed by a toll person at the Mysuru-Bengaluru 6-lane corridor.

Speaking to reporters Khader said, "The issue came up when one MLA was harassed by toll personnel. It was an irresponsible way of behaviour on the part of the toll staff."

The Karnataka Speaker also added that the facility of having a separate lane was already present at other tolls in the state except for the Mysuru-Bengaluru toll.

"A separate lane for emergency and representatives is already there at every toll but this wasn't there in the Mysuru-Bengaluru toll," he said.

On the issue of having a separate lane for MLAs, he said, "We are just asking for the Emergency lane which is already there across all tolls except for the Mysuru-Bengaluru route."

The demand from Karnataka legislators comes a day after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann closed the Singhwala toll plaza in the state on the Moga-Kotakpura road near Chand Puraana.

Interacting with the media persons after closing Singhawala Toll Plaza, the Chief Minister said on Wednesday, "People had to pay a hefty amount of Rs 44.43 while crossing these 10 toll plazas. However, with the closing of these 10 toll plazas, people will be immensely benefited and get major relief."