Palanpur: Thousands of locals staged a massive protest rally today at the Khemana Toll Plaza on the Palanpur–Abu Road National Highway, demanding exemption for residents living within a 20-km radius. Despite heavy police deployment, people from surrounding villages marched from Hebatpura to the toll plaza and submitted a representation to officials.

Addressing the gathering, local leaders warned that today’s demonstration was peaceful but cautioned that the agitation could intensify if their demands were not met. “If authorities fail to consider our request, we will be forced to adopt an aggressive approach in the coming days,” they said.

It is noteworthy that representatives from nearly 30 surrounding villages had earlier submitted requests for toll exemption, and today’s rally was a continuation of that movement. Protesters demanded that the toll plaza be shifted 10 km away and that farmers from Amirgarh and Palanpur talukas be exempted from toll charges. They issued a 15-day ultimatum, warning that if their demands are not met, they will escalate the agitation by staging sit-ins with tractors and cattle at the site.

Responding to the protest, officials at the toll plaza said the demands had already been forwarded to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). “The final decision will be taken by NHAI, and we will comply with whatever is decided,” the toll manager stated. DeshGujarat