Following the decision of Jammu and Kashmir administration to abolished all inter-state toll posts, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) awaiting approval of government to establish toll collection center at Lakhnapur.

After the abolition of the Lakhanpur toll post, the NHAI has decided to take up the matter with the UT administration to make the toll plaza functional at Lakhanpur.

“At present, there is a status quo (on the issue of starting toll collection point at Lakhanpur). We were hopeful that the government would hand over the existing infrastructure of the Lakhanpur toll post to the NHAI,which will bear the cost of it. The government is yet to take a decision in this regard,” Hemraj, general manager, regional office NHAI, Jammu, told The Tribune.

The NHAI official, however, said they would make the toll plaza functional in the vicinity of Lakhanpur in case the government does not hand over the existing infrastructure of the toll post to the NHAI. “The final decision is to be taken by the government. The law and order is a state subject,” he said. The NHAI has received a letter of agreement (LoA) for toll collection at Lakhanpur by Delhi-based Ranchordas Company.

After the UT administration abolished all inter-state toll posts, the routine hustle and bustle and din went missing at Lakhanpur,considered as the gateway to Jammu and Kashmir, with all goods-laden vehicles entering and leaving J&K freely without any halt.

This has also created a sense of “J&K full integration with rest of the country” post revocation of Article 370 on August 5 last year among stakeholders, though the decision has rendered over 1,000 persons jobless in the Lakhanpur area.

According to officials of the Excise Department, there were at-least seven other minor inter-state posts, including toll posts at Nagri,Kot Punnu, Mandi, Basohli, Thein, Hut Mashka and Keerian Gandial, under the Lakhanpur toll posts in Kathua district, bordering Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.All these posts ceased to operate from today.

“We ceased our functioning at Lakhanpur toll post and all other minor inter-state posts in the area with immediate effect. We have prepared our inventory of personnel. At least 165 officials of the department,engaged in the area, would soon be deployed in Jammu and other places,including state taxes department to address the shortage of staff,” said Pankaj Sharma, Deputy Excise Commissioner, toll post, Lakhanpur.