A move expected to provide relief to private light-vehicle owners in Maharashtra, the state government announced the shutting down 12 toll plazas in the state effective June onwards. Also exempt are light motor vehicles, state transport buses and jeeps from paying toll at 53 other such booths across the state.
However, toll plazas on the Mumbai-Pune expressway and the entry points to the island city will function as usual.
The state government has also set-up a committee headed by additional chief secretary to explore the possibility of toll exemption for vehicles plying through major toll booths in Vashi, Airoli, Mulund, Bhandup, Dahisar and on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The committee will check the financial and legal viability of the toll exemption at the above mentioned booths and submit a report by end of July.
Maharashtra has witnessed widespread protests in the past from some political outfits as well as citizenry, against toll operators who continued to collect toll for highways, expressways and flyovers even after the cost of building them was recovered.
NISHANT PAREKH