Fadnavis assures relief from toll booths in Kolhapur

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today assured the Kolhapur anti-toll committee (KATC) that his government was "positive" about abolishing road toll at all entry points of the city.
The city has been witnessing an intense anti-road toll agitation for quite some time. The slain CPI leader Govind Pansare was in the forefront of the agitation.
"The government is positive on abolishing toll booths in Kolhapur. But before that an assessment of roads needs to be done. Only after that we can take a final call. We are also ready to provide passes to people who have cars registered in the city," Fadnavis said in a meeting with KATC members here.

KATC leader N D Patil, after the meeting with Fadnavis, told reporters that the committee was satisfied with the assurance, and another meeting would be held after a couple of days to find solution to remaining issues.
"We feel the government is serious on abolishing toll booths in the city. I don't think we will face betrayal once again. Even we are insistent on the assessment of city roads," Patil said.
"There are various shortcomings in the Rs 220 crore work done by the IRB (road and toll booth contractor). The proposal given to us by this government had never been given before. Previous Chief Ministers kept telling us to stop demanding removal of toll booths before the talks could start. They humiliated us," he said.

KATC therefore welcomed the stand taken by the BJP-led government on the issue, he said.