A crisis and some progress.
June 20,2002
The day began with reports of autos being stopped at the Uthandi Toll Plaza. By 9 AM the news of Mr. Youssef's auto having been blockaded for his inability to pay was confirmed.
The village of Kanathur to which Youssef belongs was agitated and decided to rally in support of him in a peaceful manner.
About 20 vehicles ranging from fish carts to cars plus several citizens on two wheelers and on foot arrived at the toll plaza by 9.30AM. D V Sridharan representing ERPOA, was among them.
TNRDC represented by Mr N Narendrakumar, Manager [Operations] and Mr Sudharshan , Plaza Supervisor stated that since a concessional tariff had just come into effect, TNRDC expected everyone to pay. They further said that this reduction in tariff was in fact, in response to frequent suggestions that the tariff had been high.
Residents responded that much had happened since then. In the last two months there have been dramatic changes in Kanathur and villages beyond. Tourist traffic has fallen with a fall in trade; land prices and buyer interest have fallen; prices of essentials have risen; auto and cart operators' incomes have fallen; people have found they are asked to pay a toll even when they go to schools, hospitals, places of worship or to meet friends, people have been gripped by a sense of fear with the TNRDC staff posing a nightmare everyday and finally, people have realised that even if they bought the most attractive package now being offered, they would be parting with over Rs.5.00 lakhs to TNRDC in the coming years. It is for these reasons that the Grama Sabha of the Kanathur Panchayat had passed a resolution on June 9, 2002 totally rejecting any levy.
ERPOA's stand was conveyed to the Manager:
**On June 8,2002, at the specific suggestion of Mr.Malmarugan of TNRDC a formal letter [appended below] was sent seeking a meeting to resolve the issue. Not only was this not even acknowledged, the residents have now been served this 'concession' unilaterally. Under the circumstances, ERPOA will no longer formally write to TNRDC but will state its points of view through this website only and in person at the toll points. It was for the TNRDC staff to report back the matter to Mr.Rohit Modi .
**ERPOA firmly rejects the new tariff and will strain every civil muscle to have it repealed however long it may take.
**ERPOA demands that TNRDC staff stop harassing the weak, the elderly, ladies, children and the sick. Individuals narrated specific instances of intimidation. An auto driver narrated how a Plaza supervisor stood in front of his auto and asked him to run him over so he can file a case.[The supervisor replied that those were his 'instructions'!] A lady who runs a home for stray dogs was once asked, 'show me which of the many dogs in your ambulance is sick' and on another occasion she was made to leave her car, forced to walk to a coconut vendor nearby to borrow the money she didn't have for the toll. A vegetable vendor was asked to leave his cart and return with money 'somehow'. Another was asked to leave one of the chickens he was carrying as security. A parent taking her daughter to school had a supervisor wag a finger and speak menacingly in front of the terrified child. ERPOA acknowledges that there is a punishment for every law that is broken. The GO that the TNRDC has in its favour can be obeyed only by people who have money. It offers no options like when you don't have the money you don't go to a movie, or a restaurant or a train journey. This 'law' says 'pay or else you can't go home or carry on your daily life.' People struggle hard enough to put their lives together without having to contend with this strangest of laws in the Indian Republic. If TNRDC thinks it is a crime not to have money, it may proceed against the resident through proper and legal channel for that 'crime' but it may not harass them, taunt them, threaten them, provoke them or unlawfully detain them.
**ERPOA does not advocate that people should not pay. It only supports the rights of those who *cannot* pay in order to conduct his daily life. ERPOA also concedes that the ECR is a definite advantage to travellers between Chennai and Pondicherry and TNRDC should therefore explore ways of collecting toll only from them.
**ERPOA cannot surrender the rights of residents to any mediator. The case can only 'rest' when the Supreme Court has spoken. ERPOA members do not have the means to hasten to this expensive recourse especially when it is a problem not of their creation. But they will, if all doors are closed. A so-called 'success' in this case creates no 'gain' for its members. It only relieves them of the oppression and returns them to their daily grind as before. It is not as though the villagers are eager to win the case and enjoy for free the 'pleasures of driving' that TNRDC claims to have created. They just want to be left alone to carry on living like honourable citizens of India. Given these circumstances, the delegation urged TNRDC to reconsider its impracticable course and offer relief to all residents along the ECR whether or not they possess a vehicle.
**ERPOA wishes to record the patience and courtesy shown by Mr. Narendrakumar. While Mr. Narendrakumar has committed nothing to the delegation, he assured them that he would present their views to Mr. Modi to whom he directly reports, and work actively to resolve the crisis . For the first time, residents felt Mr. Modi will be presented with their problems. That all these points have been amply and regularly stated at this website is another matter. The Manager also assured that till he came back on the issue, the staff will be instructed not to intimidate those that don't have money to pay the toll. And residents must in turn behave decorously. It was assured that the full message will be widely publicised.
The gathering then dispersed peacefully with a sense of optimism that this nightmare migh tsoon end.
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Reproduced below is the letter cited in an earlier para.
June 8,2002
Tamil Nadu Road Development Company
Chennai
Attention Mr. Malmarugan
Sub: Toll on residents and property owners along the ECR
Sir,
You will recall the long telephone conversation the undersigned had with you on Sunday, June 2,2002 following the incident at the Uthandi toll plaza where a resident Mr.Govias was detained.
In the course of our conversation we discussed the idea of a sober meeting to discuss the grievances of the residents in the matter of the toll. You then suggested that I write a letter seeking an invitation for such a meeting.
The governing committee of ERPOA [East Coast Road Residents' and Property Owners' Association] -of which I am the elected President- has since met to discuss the proposal and I have been directed to formally seek such an invitation. This letter is for that purpose.
Upon receipt of your written invitation the committee will meet quickly and respond to you. Please allow for 10 days for our response and kindly make the invitation for a delegation of maximum ten members.
Looking forward to your response
for ERPOA
D V Sridharan
President
Your reply may please be sent to:
Mr. Navaz Currimbhoy
Secretary, ERPOA
2/157 Karikattu Kuppam
Muttukkadu Village
Chennai 603 112
