Jams at Lakhanpur toll plaza to go

Jams at Lakhanpur toll plaza to go
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Jammu, April 19
The problem to wait for hours in traffic jam at Lakhanpur Toll Plaza - the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir - is about to get solved as the construction work of the new toll plaza is almost 90 per cent complete. The modern toll plaza, which came up with the cost of over Rs 32 crore, will have nine computerised weigh bridges.

Lakhanpur, which shares its border with the neighbouring state of Punjab, is the main entry point for surface transport and all commercial or private vehicles entering or leaving the state. for the convince of the commuters, the government has created parking lots for 240 trucks, shelter sheds for drivers, recreational building, animal husbandry complex, banking facilities, canteens, sanitation blocks and power and water supply installations there.

The new toll plaza is spread on an area of 156 kanals and another 108 kanals will be obtained from the railways.

A senior official of the Finance Department said out of the estimated cost of Rs 32.20 crore, Rs 28.48 crore has been spent so far.

Revenue realisation at Lakhanpur toll during 2010-11 has been Rs 249.82 crore as compared to Rs 208.92 crore during 2009-10, thus, showing a growth of 19.58 per cent. Even the taxable imports were recorded at Rs 25,125 crore in 2010-11 and exports during this period were Rs 13,777 crore.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had recently visited Lakhanpur to inspect the construction work of the new toll plaza and told the officials concerned to complete it at the earliest.