PESHAWAR, Nov 4: Local transporters have rejected the government’s plan to set up toll plazas in the city and announced that they will resist the move if the decision is not withdrawn.

They were addressing a news conference here at the press club on Friday.

All-Pakistan United Transports Owners’ Association president Ihsanullah said that the construction of toll plazas would affect the commuters, because transporters would pass on the toll to them by increasing the fare.

He said that the National Highway Authority had earlier spent the amount collected as toll on construction of roads through the Army’s Engineering Corps.

But now, the NHA was awarding road building contracts to civilian contractors, resulting in the construction of substandard roads, he said.

The NHA, he said, had turned itself into a business venture for officials concerned. He said that the government used to receive three taxes from vehicles’ owners in the head of registration fee, and the money was spent on the construction of roads.