The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) on Saturday reached the Raha toll gate in Nagaon to “warn” the government not to reopen it without construction and maintenance of National Highway 37.

Hundreds of activists of the AJYCP staged a protest in front of the toll gate at Raha, demanding that the government take measures for a tripartite agreement with the groups protesting against the re-opening of the toll gate and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). They also sought an agreement on the toll fee.

AJYCP general secretary Palash Changmai said during the protest, “We will not accept the government’s move to reopen the toll gate without meeting the demands and grievances of the general public as well as the organisations protesting against it.” He said if the government wants to reopen the toll gate, the first thing they need to do is repair the highway.

“Why are they taking the toll if the highway is in such a deplorable condition? The NHAI and the government should first repair the road and maintain the highway and then they should consider the opening of the toll gate,” he said.

“KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi might be in jail but that does not mean that we will not protest against it. There are several others who will keep on protesting against it,” he added.

Another protester, Pankaj Saikia, who is a resident of Raha, said the government should exempt the people of Nagaon from the toll.

The district administration and police deployed a police team at the toll gate to keep the situation under control.

In July, the NHAI had tried to reopen the Raha toll gate in Nagaon district but the decision was kept on hold in view of the publication of the complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

However, since there are chances of the toll gate being reopened within the next few days, the AJYCP protested and reiterated its opposition to the move.