KOLHAPUR: Though some commuters responded to the appeal fromthe Kolhapur Anti-Toll Committee (KATC) at Phulewadi toll plaza and refused to pay the tax to the IRB Company, the majority chose to pay the levy at other eight plazas while entering the city.The KATC on Friday evening changed its agenda and called for civil disobedience to avoid the arrests of its activists. The KATC decided to put up boards at 200 metres from all the nine toll collection plazas appealing to the commuters not to pay toll.

The first of those banners came up on Saturday evening about 100 metres from the Phulewadi toll booth as per the directions from the district police. The banner reads ‘The vehicle owners should refuse to pay the toll and if the collectors force to pay the toll then the vehicle owners should contact the police officials.’

Vasant Deshmane from the Karvir taluka had a smile on his face after he refused to pay the toll at Phulewadi toll plaza. “We are not going to pay the toll for the dirty roads. The city has been turned into a prison by setting up the toll plazas at all the major entrances,” he said.

Like Deshmane, many vehicle owners entering the city were cheered when they registered their protest democratically by not paying the toll. The scene at the toll plaza was dramatic as vehicles owners joined the chorus of “We are not going to pay the toll” after one commuter raised the slogan. The toll collectors also did not force the people to pay the toll.

KATC members said that similar banners will be raised at every toll plaza on Sunday. The leaders of the anti-toll committee were quite enthused with the response their agitation received on Saturday.

“We are protesting democratically. It was believed that the anti-toll movement failed after the toll collection started. However, our message has reached people and they are participating in the movement by refusing to pay the toll,” Nivas Salokhe, KATC convenor, said.

Salokhe further said, “The Bombay high court has given the directives to provide police protection to the toll booths and not for toll collection. However, the IRB Company has started the toll collection despite any orders from the HC. We are going to raise such banners in all parts of the city so that our movement against the toll will bear result without hampering the law and order situation.”

Chandradip Narke, Shivsena MLA from Karvir taluka, appealed to the people to refuse payment of the toll. “The people have participated in the movement by refusing the toll. The police can step up the security at any time but cannot force the people to pay the toll,” said Narke.