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Motorists can't refuse to pay toll, say activists

Vivek Velankar, toll analyst and activist, said: "Such a practice happens everywhere. We had proved it even for Mumbai-Pune Expressway operated by IRB Infrastructure Developers."

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Reacting to dna's report on toll collections on Surat-Dahisar Highway by IRB Infrastructure Developers, anti-toll activists claimed that it is their standard practice of getting involved in such activities.

Vivek Velankar, toll analyst and activist, said: "Such a practice happens everywhere. We had proved it even for Mumbai-Pune Expressway operated by IRB Infrastructure Developers."

According to him, it is impossible and hard to believe that every fourth and fifth motorists refuse to pay toll and easily drive through the toll booths on Surat-Dahisar Highway. "There are bouncers hired by the toll operators to ensure no motorists go away without toll," added Velankar.

"It is a conspiracy by the private agency to ensure that the tenure or concession period is extended by showing lesser toll collection," claimed Sanjay Shirodkar, another anti-toll activist.

Both the individuals aired that the toll collection and highway maintenance agency should withdraw from the project, if it is not a profitable business and when so many motorists protest toll payment.

"Why do they sponsor events and functions, if they are unable to collect money from every motorists," questioned Shirodkar while adding that these amount collected from so called 'violators' or those refusing to pay toll goes towards payment of sponsorship amounts.

Velankar added that it is nothing but a way to hide their theft by shifting the blame on to the innocent motorists.

dna on Monday had published reports of how IRB Infrastructure Developers have claimed to National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) about 20 to 25 per cent of the motorists driving off without paying toll fee at Boriach and Bhagwada toll booths respectively. Moreover, the total number of exempted vehicles too have shot up by as much as 1,48,440 per cent.

 

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