 "Poll-bound Maharashtra scraps entry toll for light motor vehicles in Mumbai")
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Monday announced that starting midnight, light motor vehicles will be exempt from toll fees at all five toll booths for entry into Mumbai. This decision was made during the final state cabinet meeting of the outgoing Maharashtra Assembly, which concludes its term on November 26.
The Election Commission of India is yet to announce the schedule for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra.
Lauding the move as a "historic" decision, Shinde emphasised that it will be crucial in saving the time of the passengers and reducing pollution levels in the city. The five toll entries in Mumbai are Dahisar, Mulund, Vashi, Airoli, and Tinhanth Naka. Before this, Shinde had announced a toll waiver for some routes in the state during the Ganesh Chathurthi festival in the first half of September.
Lauding the move as a "historic" decision, Shinde emphasised that it will be crucial in saving the time of the passengers and reducing pollution levels in the city. The five toll entries in Mumbai are Dahisar, Mulund, Vashi, Airoli, and Tinhanth Naka. Before this, Shinde had announced a toll waiver for some routes in the state during the Ganesh Chathurthi festival in the first half of September.
The toll fees for these entry points were revised on October 1, with light motor vehicles and tempos increasing from Rs 65 to Rs 75, buses and trucks from Rs 130 to Rs 150, multi-axle vehicles from Rs 160 to Rs 190, and cars and jeeps from Rs 40 to Rs 45. However, starting at midnight tonight, light motor vehicles will be exempt from these fees.
Reacting to this, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray criticised the government for failing to fulfill its earlier promise of making Mumbai toll-free.
On October 9, MNS chief Raj Thackeray questioned Shinde’s move of withdrawing his court petition against toll collection in Mumbai and Thane. He said that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance had promised to make Maharashtra toll-free but failed to act on it.
Every day, over 600,000 vehicles pass through the five toll plazas for entry and exit in Mumbai. Since 2000, the people of Mumbai have been paying these tolls at the city’s entry points, making it a significant election issue for various parties.