File Photo: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis (AFP Photo)
Taking a step towards fulfilling his party's promise to make Maharashtra toll-free, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today announced the closure of 12 toll plazas in the state while exempting private light motor vehicles and buses of the state transport corporation at 53 toll plazas from May 31 midnight.
In addition light motor vehicles and state transport buses have been exempted from paying tolls at as many as 53 toll booths. No such relief, however, has been provided to the heavy vehicle operators.
"We have given a fitting reply to those who managed a toll scam for 15 years. In five months we are doing what they could not do in 15 years," Mr Fadnavis told reporters.
Terming the move an eyewash, NCP leader Jayant Patil, said "This is the party that started tolls in the state. The government's commitment was to stop tolls entirely, this is a partial reduction. The government is not serious about stopping tolls."
Another NCP leader and former PWD minister Chhagan Bhujal said, "Our government cancelled nearly 50 tolls. If you transfer the toll to the big vehicles, then they will pass on the increase in costs to the consumer."
Across Maharashtra, toll tax has been a topic of huge debate due to rampant corruption and flawed policy. Toll collection has often resulted in violent clashes, with toll plazas being attacked and burnt down in many places.
Meanwhile, vehicles entering the city and using the Mumbai-Pune Expressway have to wait till July 31 before the relaxation come into effect.
Dinesh Sharma, a Mumbaikar who passes the Mumbai entry point toll plaza at Dahisar everyday told NDTV, "I am disappointed. Thousands of cars travel into Mumbai everyday from the outskirts but we have got no relief."
A committee is studying the implications of relaxing the tolls taxes in Kolhapur, where an anti-toll activist was shot dead in February. The committee is expected to submit its report by May 31.