PIL against toll collection at Jharpokharia

UNSAFE, POTHOLED DWARASHUNI GHAT

- POST NEWS NETWORK

Toll collection at the Jharpokharia Toll Plaza on National Highway-49 in Mayurbhanj district was challenged through a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) petition at the Orissa High Court citing the dangerous and unsafe condition of an adjoining stretch of the highway.

The petition was filed by a lawyer, Advocate Akash Sharma, who sought court directions against what he described as unlawful toll collection on a highway stretch that remains incomplete and unsafe, particularly at the Dwarasuni Ghat section. Sharma argued that road users are being compelled to pay a toll despite the absence of a functional and safe roadway. The petition also relied on accident data to highlight the consequences of the road's condition. It claims that over 500 accidents and 100 deaths have been recorded on the stretch in recent years, with ambulances, school buses and commercial vehicles facing serious risks.