Mangaluru, (The Hindu): Tollgate Virodhi Horata Samiti will take out a padayatra from Kulur to Surathkal on National Highway 66 on September 26 to protest against the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) not filling up potholes on the highway between Nanthoor and Surathkal.

The padayatra will commence from 9.30 a.m. A protest meeting will be conducted near the toll gate at Surathkal at 12.30 p.m., a release stated.

The padayatra would also be against the NHAI having two toll gates on the same highway within a distance of 10 km. Though Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, had said that the contract of collecting users’ fee at Surathkal toll gate would not be renewed, it was renewed once more from August, the Samithi said. It urged the government to shut the toll gate at Surathkal, construct proper service roads between Nanthoor and Surathkal and build a flyover at Nanthoor Junction.

The release said though the NHAI was collecting users’ fee at the toll gate it had not filled up potholes on the said stretch. Though some potholes were filled up in February-March, they had opened up again now. Though the NHAI is bound to fill up potholes on toll collecting highways within 48 hours, it does not seem to be bothered about it. Owing to the worn out stretches and potholes, driving on two bridges across the Phalguni has become dangerous.