Agitation on August 20 if toll collection is not stopped: MLC

Member of Legislative Council Shobhatai Fadnavis said here today that she would lodge a criminal complaint against the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) and also lodge an agitation from August 20, if toll collection is not stopped immediately.
She emphasised that toll is being "illegally" levied and she would stage an agitation along along with various organisations from the city at Tadali Toll Gate on August 20, demanding its withdrawal with immediate effect.
Addressing reporters at the Circuit House here on Monday evening, Shobhatai said that toll is being levied on vehicles plying on the Chandrapur-Warora-Nagpur road, at Tadali Toll Gate ever since 2000, supposedly in order to recover Rs 31.41 crore, which is the amount incurred to construct four railway overbridges on the Ballarpur-Chandrapur-Warora route.

"It is indeed a point to ponder that if contractors and the MSRDC have not been able to recover this amount despite heavy vehicular traffic on the route till date. There is no account with MSRDC on the money that has been recovered even after a lapse of over 13 years. Now, the new directive from MSRDC states that toll would be levied until 2027, which is a grave injustice to the people of the district," Shobhatai said.
She said that there is no MSRDC office here except in Mumbai and Nagpur, making it difficult to get information about the issue, even under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

She said that after sustained efforts, it has come to light that the MSRDC went on to levy an additional amount of Rs 150 crore, is absolutely illegal.