BENGALURU: Condemning the decision by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) to increase toll charges on its peripheral ring road by 33%, over 500 farmers and activists from different walks of life staged a protest near Gollarahatti-Magadi Road junction on Monday morning.Anticipating trouble, a strong contingent of over 200 police personnel led by Ramanagara SP Ramesh Banoth and Magadi DySP Purushottam was deployed in and around the busy junction. However,there were no detention or arrests. The two-hour protest began around 11am, and agitators presented a memorandum to Banoth, seeking the government’s intervention in lowering the charges. “Merchants from Magadi, Tavarekere and surrounding areas have no option other than using NICE road to reach various parts of the city. Agriculturists depend on mini goods trucks or tempos to transport commodities,” said Ravikanta Uppar , a local merchant.He added: “Earlier, we had to shell out Rs 25 (one way)to reach Hosur Road or Bannerghatta Road from the Magadi Roadside. Now the toll has been raised to Rs 35.The toll charges alone will cost me Rs 70 per trip and I travel twice or thrice a week. I can’t opt for a monthly pass as it will cost more. Many local traders face a similar problem now,” he said. Residents from Magadi and Tavarekere demanded that no toll be levied on two-wheelers. “On other highways, including NH4 (Bengaluru-Pune), no toll is collected fom two-wheelers. Why is the government silent on the issue? Why can’t the ministers concerned intervene,” said Ramesh Kumar, resident of Tavarekere and flower vendor. Traffic at junction hit Traffic at Gollarahatti junction, where four roads from Bengaluru,Ramanagara, Bengaluru Rural and Magadi intersect, was affected due to the protest. Purushottam said they allowed traffic movement on one side of the road. “We directed the agitators to gather on one side of the road so that vehicles could ply,” he said, adding “Vehicles were not stopped from entering the tolled (NICE) road.” Banoth said no arrests were made. “The protesters didn’t create panic or take the law into their hands.I will submit their memorandum to the government,” he said.