Samana: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said that this is the ninth but not the last toll plaza to be closed in larger public interest as more such will be freed in the coming days.

Addressing the gathering after closing the Toll plaza on Samana- Patran road, the Chief Minister bemoaned that these toll plazas were in reality the shops for the open loot of the general public. He said that these tolls had plundered the public by flouting all the norms as per their agreement. However, Bhagwant Mann said that it is surprising that instead of taking action against them in larger public interests, the successive state governments had patronised this loot by keeping a blind eye towards their misdeeds.

Mann said that the agreement of this toll plaza was signed on 01/09/2005 during the Captain government and the toll was imposed for 16.50 years. He said that due to several shortcomings a fine of Rs 1.48 crore was imposed on the company adding that it could have been closed on 24/06/2013 due to these shortcomings. However, Bhagwant Mann said that this never happened adding he said that the toll could have also been shut down on 16/10/2018 when the second overlay was not done but no action was initiated.

He said that after assuming the charge of office, when his government issued notice to toll plaza for violations, the company managing it moved to the court. However, he said that the plea was rejected by the court and in larger public interest, the government has decided to close it. Bhagwant Mann said that by closing this toll plaza Rs 3.80 lakh of the common people will be saved daily.

Mann said that the company was seeking an extension on the pretext of farmers agitation and Covid pandemic but his government has denied it. He said that this work should have been done earlier but none of his predecessors bothered to secure the interests of people adding that rather they worked zealously for protecting the rights of this company. Bhagwant Mann unequivocally said that every single penny plundered from people will be recovered from these people by all means adding that FIR will also be lodged against the company.

He said that a year ago the people of state had voted them to power by pressing a button of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM). Bhagwant Mann said that today within a year he is pressing four-five buttons daily for dedicating new projects to the people of the state. He said that the day is not far when due to strenuous efforts of the state government, Punjab will emerge as the frontrunner state in the country.

He said that the traditional political parties are envious of him because they are not able to digest that the son of a common man is governing the state effectively. He said that these governments had ruled the state with their own whims and fancies without bothering about the interest of people. Bhagwant Mann said that but now the son of a school teacher is safeguarding the interests of people and its state.

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