After recently raising the issue of OBC quotas in state services in a letter, Union Minister and BJP ally Apna Dal (Soneylal) chief Anupriya Patel on Wednesday again addressed the UP government, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging “irregularities” and “illegal” toll collection on Mirzapur Road. Patel is the Member of Parliament (MP) from Mirzapur.

In response, UP Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’ dismissed Patel’s allegations as “baseless,” asserting that “no unauthorized toll collection is occurring.” He clarified that toll plazas were previously established at three locations along the Varanasi-Shaktinagar Marg: Fattepur (4.680 km), Lodhi (68.100 km), and Maloghat (108.940 km), all in compliance with prescribed standards.

Following a complaint from a private developer, it was noted that vehicles traveling to Shaktinagar from the Fattepur toll plaza were using an alternative route before Ahraura, passing through Chunar and Narayanpur-Jamui, and vehicles from Shaktinagar to Varanasi were diverting via Chakia after passing Ahraura (chainage 18.700 km), resulting in revenue loss. To address this, conditional approval was granted to establish an additional toll booth at Ahraura, with the stipulation that toll fees be collected at either the Fattepur or Ahraura toll plaza.

The minister emphasized that toll is collected at Ahraura only from vehicles that do not pay at Fattepur and use the Varanasi-Shaktinagar route, ensuring toll collection at only one of the two plazas. This arrangement adheres to established standards, Nandi stated.

The private developer, M/s ACP Tollways Pvt Ltd (M/s APCO), was previously instructed to implement a fast tag system for toll collection. Due to their failure to act, their representative was summoned on July 14 and directed to install the fast tag system at all toll booths along the route within a month. Therefore, the objections raised by the Union Minister of State are deemed “baseless,” Nandi added.

Earlier on June 27, Patel alleged in a letter to CM Adityanath that reserved seats for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) become “unreserved” during the government recruitment process, resulting in the non-selection of candidates from these categories. The UP government responded that quota posts remaining vacant after the selection process were carried forward to the next recruitment process.

Speaking on the issue at Idea Exchange last week, Patel stated, “If people are complaining, it is your responsibility to address the grievances. This is not the first time such an interaction is taking place. Flagging concerns happens everywhere, even in autonomous institutions and universities. Today, we are in government. So if something is brought to my notice, I will apprise the chief minister, expecting him to correct anomalies. That’s his responsibility.”