National Highway toll gate at Hejmadi MANGALURU: Private bus owners, who are operating bus services via the national highway toll gate at Hejmady, have decided to suspend services from March 15 opposing toll collection. Bus owners in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have been complaining against the ‘hefty’ toll for all buses, including those plying on village roads. Soon after making FASTag mandatory, the toll authorities at Hejmady have stopped the concession given for such buses. Canara Bus Operators’ Association vice-president Durgaprasad Hegde told TOI that bus service will remain suspended till the toll authorities restore concession. “All shuttle service buses, including those on Mangaluru -Udupi route, that cross the Hejmady toll gate will remain suspended. We are given a concession rate of Rs 6,500 per month for each bus at the Surathkal toll gate. We are paying only about 40% of the actual toll charge at Surathkal. The toll gate authorities at Talapady had also given concessions for city buses. However, we have to pay Rs 95 for each entry at Hejmady toll gate. It is not possible for us to sustain by paying such a hefty amount at one toll gate,” Hegde rued.