Gandhinagar: After the heavy rains that lashed the state in the last week of August, the condition of many highways and roads in the state is poor. From city roads to national highways, commuters are complaining about the potholes and cave-ins due to this heavy rain.

One such case is the Rajkot-Jetpur Highway, which has two toll plazas along its 70 km stretch, but the passengers are troubled by several diversions and potholes along the way. This highway has now become a headache for one and a half lakh people who commute on this highway daily.

The distance from Rajkot to Jetpur is 70 km, during which two toll booths are encountered. The Bharudi toll plaza generates an income of around 100 crores annually, while the income of the Pithadiya toll plaza is around 40 crores annually. However, every year during the monsoon season, potholes occur on this road, and despite paying substantial tolls, motorists do not receive the benefit of a well-maintained road.

In another case, Patan MLA Kirit Patel has written a letter to Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, seeking to end the toll tax on the Mehsana-Ahmedabad highway. The MLA has urged the CM not to charge tax from commercial vehicles passing through until the road repair is completed. Mehsana MP Mayank Nayak has also made the same demand. During the monsoon season, the condition of the highway is poor, as potholes have emerged on the road. At the Mehsana toll plaza, no charge is taken from four-wheelers.

Similarly, the road leading to the Ahmedabad-Rajkot National Highway from Sauka village in Limbadi taluka has been blocked for nine days, causing suffering for 10,000 residents of Sauka, Liad, and Laliad villages. The villagers have demanded that the road be repaired immediately. Motorists have to pass through Limbadi town to reach the highway. The highway is just 2 km away via Sauka, but commuters are forced to take an 8 km long route via Limbadi town to reach the NH.

Meanwhile, the Radhanpur to Santalpur stretch of National Highway 27 is riddled with potholes, prompting people to take to social media to complain about the issues. One user said that when motorists break traffic rules, memos are sent to their homes using CCTV cameras; can the same CCTV not be used to monitor the poor condition of the roads? People are demanding that the officers responsible for maintaining the road be punished, as the road condition is deteriorating. DeshGujarat