Chandigarh/Delhi, 5 July 2025- The journalists, who are called the fourth pillar of the country, have not been included in the exemption or free toll facility by the current government, once again the fourth pillar has been deprived of facilities.
On the above subject, while demanding from the government in the interests of journalists, Dr. Indu Bansal, founder and state president of Shramjeevi Patrakar Sangh Haryana, said that this negligence of the government has caused disappointment in the fourth pillar of democracy.
Dr. Bansal said that the demand to make toll free for journalists has been going on for a long time, but the government is not paying any attention to this legitimate demand of the journalists.
Dr Bansal said that journalists have to cross the toll in their own district many times to cover the news, for which the journalist has to pay toll fee every time. A working journalist does not have so much income that he keeps paying toll fee every time.
Dr Bansal said that the government should at least waive the toll fee of accredited journalists in the first phase.
Dr Bansal said that for the convenience of the people, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways collects toll fee on National Highways and Expressways through the Fastag system in the country. Recently, the Ministry has exempted people working on dignitaries associated with the three pillars of the country from Fastag, who will not have to pay toll fee.
Dr Bansal said that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has provided benefits under this free toll policy to dignitaries associated with the three pillars of India, judiciary, legislature and executive, but the fourth pillar of democracy, called the journalists, have been deprived of this benefit.
Dr Bansal demanded free toll in the interest of journalists from the Government of India and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and said that the journalists, called the fourth pillar of democracy, should also be included in this free toll scheme as soon as possible.