Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has decided to abolish the toll charged while entering Mumbai from Monday midnight. Currently, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) collects Rs 45 toll from vehicles while entering Mumbai at several checkpoints including Mulund, Airoli, Dahisar, and Mankhurd.
News Agency ANI quoted Maharashtra Minister Dadaji Dagadu Bhuse as saying, “At the time of entry into Mumbai, there were 5 toll plazas, including Dahisar toll, Anand Nagar toll, Vaishali, Airoli and Mulund. Rs. 45 and Rs. 75 were charged at these tolls, this was in effect till 2026. About 3.5 lakh vehicles used to travel up and down. About 70 thousand of them were heavy vehicles and 2.80 lakh were light vehicles. Today, the government has decided to exempt light vehicles from toll after 12 midnight…The time that people used to spend in queues will be saved. The government was discussing it for many months and today this revolutionary decision has been taken.”
The toll is charged for using 55 flyovers constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). These flyovers were constructed during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule from 1995 to 1999. However, the removal of toll will apply only to cars and SUVs, the Hindustan Times said in a report.
The decision was taken by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a cabinet meeting on Monday morning. Shinde represents Thane, an adjoining district of Mumbai, as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA). People coming from adjoining districts to Mumbai often regret the toll they have to pay as all these districts have virtually merged into Mumbai. Shinde himself led many demonstrations against the toll as an MLA from Thane.
The move, coming barely a few weeks from the Assembly elections, which are slated for November 2024, is seen as politically motivated. The MSRDC is believed to be in favor of continuing with the toll to recover the cost of a new Thane Creek Bridge. However, the government has gone ahead with its decision to remove the toll from cars and SUVs entering Mumbai.