Toll collection on the Expressway has been a bone of contention for a long time, with activists claiming that undue favours were extended to the company despite the recovery made.
The IRB Infrastructure Ltd. paid Rs 918 crore upfront to the Maharashtra government to collect toll and maintain the Mumbai-Pune Expressway for 15 years till August 2019. However, till November 2016, it had already earned
Rs 2,880 crore, but is still collecting toll, a group of anti-toll activists claimed on Monday.
The activists have made a demand saying that the government should withdraw toll collection in the next 15 days, or else they would move competent authorities against the toll plazas on the Expressway. The anti-toll activists have written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Public Works Department Minister Eknath Shinde and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Vice Chairman Radheshyam Mopalwar to revoke toll collection on the Expressway, failing which a complaint will be lodged with the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
"IRB Infrastructure has collected Rs 2,880 crore till November 2016 as against the projection of Rs 2,869 crore by 2018. This means, more than what was projected has been collected. Now, the time has come for the state government to fulfil its election promise of toll-free highways," said Sanjay Shirodkar, an anti-toll activist.
Another activist, Shriniwas Ghanekar, said that in this case there will not be a need to compensate the company for toll loss as excessive collection has already been made. In case of toll plazas at Kolhapur and other places like Bhiwandi and Ghodbunder Road, the state government had to compensate the operators.
Toll collection on the Expressway has been a bone of contention for a long time, with activists claiming that undue favours were extended to the company despite the recovery made.
An IRB Infrastructure Developers Ltd spokesperson said, "We have shared all relevant information with the state government. We reiterate that toll collection on the Expressway is in line with the prevailing Concession Agreement."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Expressway")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}