Udupi: Toll Collection at three toll gates along the National Highway 66 from Kundapur to Kasaragod by the Navayug Infrastructure which has been entrusted with the Highway works, has been withheld following protest by locals and due to the intervention of local leader and former MP Jayaprakash Hegde.

Though toll collection was supposed to begin on February 1, locals under the leadership of the Heddari Jagruthi Samithi (Road awareness committee) had strongly opposed the same and had warned that toll collection would not be allowed until various pending matters were resolved.

Former MP Jayaprakash Hegde who spoke to the protestors said that the administration has asked the company against collecting toll and that the issue would be discussed once with the Udupi DC.

Meanwhile, residents of Sasthana Gundmi also staged a protest in front of the Toll gate opposing toll collection until their demands were fulfilled.