Assam: RAHA TOLL GATE TO REOPEN AFTER NRC FINAL DRAFT PUBLICATION

28 July 2018:

Reopening of the tollgate on national highway 37 at Raha has been postponed till publication of the final draft of National Register of Citizens (NRC). This was stated by deputy commissioner Biswajit Pegu.

It was originally scheduled to reopen on Saturday by Nagaon district administration following a meeting with representatives of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

The final draft of NRC will be published on Monday.

Located on the arterial highway that links upper Assam with rest of the country, the toll gate has always been at the centre of a major controversy as various organisations, including the influential Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad, are opposing it citing “incompletion” of works on the highway.

Despite building necessary infrastructure, the toll plaza could not be opened for the last three years in the face of fierce oppoisition.

It was formally made operational on July 21, but was shut down within 24 hours following stiff opposition by the organistions. The district administration then fixed July 28 for making the gate operational again.