Chandigarh, May 3: Public Works Minister Punjab Vijay Inder Singla, on Sunday, informed that as many as 23 toll plazas operational under the state government will resume collection from May 4 onwards. The cabinet minister said that the tolling operations were suspended on March 27 in view of the nationwide lockdown and suspension was extended on April 19 till May 3.
Vijay Inder Singla said that the toll authorities have also been directed to ensure social distancing, sanitization, frequent washing of hands, putting up masks, hand gloves and other preventive measures in terms of the guidelines issued by union and state government to contain the spread of Covid-19.
The PWD minister informed that the orders in this regards have been issued by the department but if any toll plaza would fall within the containment zone, the tolling operations will remain temporarily suspended on that particular toll plaza till May 17. He added that as per the consolidated guidelines of ministry of Home affairs of GoI and Punjab Government, till date no state toll plaza falls within containment zone.
Singla said that besides providing free passage till May 3, the state toll plaza authorities also provided langar (free cooked food) to the truckers and drivers of the emergency supply vehicles.
