August 18, 2020: Hundreds of vehicles were stuck at traffic jam on the busy National Highway 31 due to long queues of vehicles at the Madanpur Toll Plaza near Baihata Chariali on Tuesday.

As the movement of vehicles on the highway increased after the travel restrictions were lifted on Monday, the toll gate employees found it hard to collect the toll without any hassle. With the construction of the plaza yet to be completed, the vehicles have to wait for nearly 45 minutes to an hour to cross the gate.

During the jam, even ambulances were stuck causing trouble to the patients in them. The commuters alleged that the plaza was constructed without proper planning. The place where it as constructed is a narrow patch unlike other toll plazas in the state.

Another reason for the jams at toll plazas in Assam is the lack of awareness among the car owners about the FASTag system. Most commuters prefer to pay the toll cash, resulting in unnecessary delay for lack of change or undue altercation with toll gate employees about the rates.