The travellers in Tamil Nadu would be bracing up an increase in the toll fee at 19 toll plazas across the state from September 1. The decision of hiking the toll fee had drawn major flak from the political parties and several associations.

According to reports, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has on Monday issued a circular in which it has announced the hike of toll fell at 19 toll plazas from September 1. In a statement, Pawan Kumar, the regional officer of NHAI has said that the revision in rates in some places will be between 7 to 10 per cent and it would be minimal in other places. 

Tamil Nadu has a total of 48 toll gates set up by the NHAI and of the total 48, the user fee is revised every April 1 to 26 toll gates and the Union government body has announced the hike of toll fee in 19 other plazas from September 1. Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has strongly flayed the NHAI for rising the toll fee and last Saturday, party's Chief Ramadoss has announced that the party would oppose the hike in the toll fee and he further threatened that the party would conduct protests against the hike. 

Ramadoss had also demanded the NHAI to present a white paper on the cost incurred in establishing the toll plazas as well as the fees collected from the users. By urging the NHAI to disclose the statement on the expenses and the profit the toll plazas record by charging the toll fee from the users, Ramadoss has stated that the hike is huge and that it would increase the prices of essential commodities in the state. 

According to IANS, PMK has been planning to stage protest marches at the toll plazas in the state if a white paper is not presented as demanded by the party. Besides Ramadoss, the Tamil Nadu Lorry Owners Association has also condemned the hike in the toll fee in the state and the association has urged the NHAI to repeal the hike as it would burden them and would lead to high inflation.