ULFA (I) opposes reopening of Raha toll gate

The United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I) has opposed the reopening of the toll gate at Raha in Assam's Nagaon district (NH 37). The organisation stated that no private investment was involved for which tolls are being collected, as the road was constructed by the British.

In a statement emailed to media organisations, the outfit expressed their dissent saying that Assam Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary mentioned that toll gates are common and exist in other countries too. But toll gates are only opened to collect toll from the users when a road is constructed by a private party.

The organisation went on to elaborate how the concerned road was originally known as the Assam Trunk Road and was constructed by the British so the question of a toll gate is absurd. They added that the government already extracts road tax for maintenance so the toll gates are not applicable in this case.

Saying that Patowary was probably referring to the toll gates in China, the organisation rebutted by saying that Chinese superhighways are constructed by the provincial administration, that hands over the roads to private investors and that people do not have to pay taxes for it.

The statement also said that if Patowary follow the example of Chinese toll gates, he should also imitate other good things happening there.