Toll collection at 2 ECR plazas stops due to stir over wage cuts
Ram.Sundaram@timesgroup.com
Chennai:13.11.2021
User fee collection came to a temporary halt at two toll plazas on East Coast Road (ECR) on Friday after contractual staff went on a flash protest against unannounced salary deductions.
Vehicles travelling along the ECR had a free ride at the toll plazas in Uthandi and Mahabalipuram as staff abstained from work for almost an hour.
The staff, roped in by an agency on behalf of Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC), are deployed to collect user fee and manage traffic along toll lanes for ₹10,000 as monthly salary. But they did not receive their entire salary amount. “Every month, ₹1,000-₹5,000 is deduced,” said one of the affected workers, requesting anonymity.
Authorities attributed these cuts to losses incurred by TNRDC in the toll collection process. As per guidelines, these staff can exempt ambulances, fire tenders, judges, convoys of the President/Prime Minister/governor/chief minister and MPs.
Apart from this, they can exempt only those with Local Resident Passes (LRPs). But every day, at least 5,000 vehicles, which don't belong to any of these categories, are allowed to cross the toll without any fee, said a TNRDC official.
The contractual staff at Uthandi said that almost 75% among them were cars of local politicians, who hold some position in their parties. "If we were to stop and argue with them, it would lead to unnecessary trouble. Vehicles behind keep honking continuously and eventually it will cause traffic congestion. So, we have no other choice but to allow them," he said.
The TNRDC official in response said that they have sorted this out with the concerned agency and toll collection resumed in the afternoon. Besides contract staff, some of the full-time employees have also complained against TNRDC for improper pay deductions.
FREE FOR ALL: Uthandi toll plaza on Friday
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