Lakhanpur toll plaza opens

Speaking at the occasion, state minister for finance, Abdul Rahim Rather, said, "the new toll plaza will give further fillip to economic activities as the Lakhanpur has become state's economic hub."

"The toll plaza will provide hassle-free facilities to the traders, industrialists and other business community," he said.

The new toll plaza has nine modern tax collection booths, separate bays for trucks, cars and buses, night stay-shelters for drivers with a capacity to accommodate 145 drivers, three open-air restaurants, an emporium showcasing artefacts of the state and modern toilet blocks.

It will also have a vast parking yard to accommodate about 200 trucks at a time.

Rather claimed the concept of a modern toll post at Lakhanpur was conceived by him in 1999-2000 as finance minister and he directed for formulating a plan in this regard.

The land acquisition process began and the work on the new toll plaza started in the 2008. He said that the keen interest of the chief minister for this modern facility at the gateway of Jammu and Kashmir fast tracked the construction programme and it has been completed in over three years.

"The plaza has a main office block and a parking facility for 240 trucks. It has shelter place for drivers with nearby sanitation facilities.

"The recreation building constructed in the complex has facility for traders and businessmen to stay. The building also provides for additional facilities for tourists and passengers with 24x7 systems of drinking water and electricity supply," the minister said.

The payment of passenger tax, toll tax, entry tax and other taxes will be now online, he said, adding that all the financial units of the state would be totally computerised by April 2013.