A Bengaluru woman confronted NICE Road toll staff over alleged VIP treatment and toll collection, questioning why politicians were reportedly allowed to pass without paying. A video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
Fights between the public and toll plaza staff on Bengaluru’s NICE Road are not uncommon. However, a recent incident has drawn widespread attention after a video showing a young woman confronting toll staff over toll collection, contractual provisions and alleged VIP treatment for politicians went viral on social media. The woman questioned why toll was being collected from ordinary commuters while politicians were allegedly allowed to pass without paying, leaving the staff struggling to respond to her questions.
The incident reportedly took place when a young man and woman travelling on a bike were stopped by toll plaza staff and asked to pay the toll fee. The woman then questioned the staff about the legality of the toll collection and raised several points concerning the road project agreement and alleged preferential treatment given to politicians.
This Is A Private Road, Not A National Highway!
The woman directly questioned the toll staff about the collection of toll on NICE Road.
“This isn’t a National Highway. NICE Road is a private road. According to the 30-year agreement, you can only collect toll after the 1,250-kilometre road work is finished. How can you collect toll when the road isn’t even complete? Call your owner. Where is he?” she asked.
A staff member responded, “We are just workers here. You should ask the government.”
The woman then replied, “In that case, you should also go and ask the government for money. Why are you collecting it from the common people?”
Why Was The Gate Open All Day For Kumaraswamy?
The woman then questioned what she described as VIP treatment and alleged double standards in toll collection involving ordinary commuters and politicians.
“Why did you open the gate when Union Minister Kumaraswamy came? Why didn’t you collect money from him? Fine, he’s a Union Minister, so we could accept you letting his car pass. But you kept the toll gate open the entire day just because he was coming, didn’t you?” she asked.
She further alleged, “You didn’t collect toll from anyone that whole day. But when common people come, you act tough and demand money?”
The toll staff appeared unable to provide immediate answers to several of the woman’s questions. The video has since been widely shared on social media, with several netizens praising her for questioning the toll staff and raising issues concerning ordinary commuters.
Some social media users also said that members of the public should question authorities and service providers when they believe rules are not being applied equally.