Even after Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray’s agitation, his meeting with chief minister and state government to shut down 22 toll plazas, there seems to be no respite for Puneites from paying toll charges.
Raj Thackeray had said that the toll plaza at Khed Shivapur should not be charging toll from the commuters as the private agency has not completed the highway upgradation work in stipulated deadline, however the officials of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) made it clear that they will not stop collecting toll charges.
RTI activist Sanjay Shirodkar who has been fighting against the toll charges said, “In the government notification issued by the central ministry of road transport and highways, it is clearly mentioned that if the agency fails to complete any upgradation work in the given deadline, the toll collection should be stopped.”
“In case of Pune-Satara highway, NHAI has undertaken upgradation of 140 kilometre highway where it will be widened to six lanes. The deadline was March 2013, but it was extended to January 26. The work is yet to be completed,” he said. Rajesh Kumar Kaundal, project director of NHAI, said, “The work of road widening will at least take two years as we are not getting the permission from the forest department for land acquisition.”
“The total cost of the project on Pune-Satara highway is Rs1,700 crore and the term of the toll collection is 24 years. The toll collection started on October1,2010 and will continue,” Kaundal said. Commuters, however, are not happy paying the toll.
Saiprasad Nunna (29), a resident of Dehu Road, said, “Due to my business work I have to frequently travel to Mumbai. So far I have paid more than Rs10,000 as toll tax.”
Ritwik Thorat (45), a resident of Vimannagar, said, “Just for 93 kilometre stretch, one has to pay Rs165 for a one-way journey, there are no street lights and the condition of the road is also bad.” Mahesh Mahajan (38), a resident of Kothrud said, “The condition of the Pune-Satara Road is so bad but they still collect toll.”
Rahul Shah (31), a resident of Aundh said, “Instead of making profit, the government should provide facility to the citizens on Pune-Mumbai expressway and the national highway like restrooms, street lights, sign boards, etc. It is absurd to collect toll and provide nothing.”
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