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| Edited By: Shailendra Paranjpe |Source: DNA |Updated: Apr 12, 2015, 07:22 AM IST
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced that the state government had scrapped charging toll at 12 toll plazas in the state, and from May 31, 2015, exemption would be given to light motor vehicles, cars, jeeps and state transport buses at 53 toll nakas across the state.
Welcoming the decision as the first step towards making Maharashtra toll-free, Sanjay Shirodkar, who has done research on tolls in the state, said that the people of the state would enjoy a toll-free state only after the government does away with toll on the Mumbai-Pune expressway, Kolhapur toll and Mumbai entry point toll.
In an interview with dna's Shailendra Paranjpe, Shirodkar said that even though the government is moving towards a toll-free state, much remains to be done.
Q) Why have the Mumbai-Pune expressway, Kolhapur toll and Mumbai entry points not been included in this list of tolls being abolished?
A) The reason is obvious, these three provide the money, which is many times more than that can be earned through the cancelled 12 tolls. Taking into account the revenue generation of the 12 tolls, one can only say that it is not a big step, but a small one towards making state toll-free.
Q) What is the politics behind this decision?
A) I don't see much politics in this, but since the BJP had promised during elections that they would make Maharashtra toll-free, they are trying to stick to their word.
Q) What about the tolls cancelled by the previous Congress-NCP government? Has that had any bearing on the latest decision?
A) One can thank MNS president Raj Thackeray for the cancellation of those tolls, and for creating doubt in the minds of millions about tolls. It was Thackeray who did it, and it was after he met former CM Prithviraj Chavan, that the 45 tolls were cancelled. This move by the Fadnavis government is an extension of that decision, but the real question is why were these tolls being operated for so long?
Q) Do you mean to say that this decision is not going to help the state?
A) I am saying that this decision may provide some relief, but not that much, since all these tolls are 12-15 years old. Neither has the government announced how much amount has been recovered through toll tax by the investors, nor are they telling people that the PWD in 1996 had made it clear that any toll can have a buy-back that doesn't exceed 20%.
Q) What about Mumbai entry point toll and the other three tolls?
A) As far as the Mumbai-Pune expressway is concerned, it is IRB Infrastructure Developers which is running it, and it is the costliest toll in the country with Rs195 for 95 kms.
The same IRB is running the toll for Ahmedabad-Baroda highway, and they are charging Rs95 for it. Interestingly, neither the Mumbai-Pune expressway nor the Mumbai entry point toll have a provision of a return ticket. However, the same IRB is having the said provision in the Ahmedabad-Baroda expressway toll.
