File photo of a police officer standing in front of activists holding Karnataka flags on motorcycles during a strike in Bangalore
Protests continued for the third day today against the nearly four-fold increase in toll on the National Highway leading to the international airport with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also joining the agitation.
Private taxi drivers, workers of Kannada outfits and the BJP held protests against the steep increase in toll prices on the 22-km stretch of elevated road to the Kempegowda International airport.
The toll for a return journey by car or other such vehicles has been increased from Rs 30 to Rs 115 with effect from May 03, 2014, triggering protests.
The concessionaire of the public-private partnership project has been allowed to hike the toll in accordance with provisions of the agreement with the National Highways Authority of India, officials said.
The BJP joined the protests with senior state party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok leading a demonstration near the toll plaza, where police has been deployed in adequate numbers.
Activists of Kannada outfit - Karnataka Rakshna Vedike tried to lay siege to the toll plaza but were turned away by police