MNS chief Raj Thackeray demandedrationalization and transparency in the toll collection and urged thegovernment to “stop the loot” of road-users in the state.
His activists took a cue and immediately tookto the roads “ where toll is being levied “ and in many instances successfullystopped toll collection.
Though the luxury of driving through withoutpaying toll was short-lived, it struck a chord among the millions of road userswho are compelled to cough out exorbitant sums daily as toll, adding to thetravel/commuting costs.
The government contends that the toll islevied to recover the costs of providing the infrastructure created for thepeople, including highways, roads, flyovers, tunnels, etc.
Moreover, it claims that the proceeds arealso used to maintain the concerned infrastructure “ unfortunately, the groundrealities are far removed from this claim.
Mumbai has five main entry points where tollis collected by a private contractor, besides the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli SeaLink (RGBWSL), not to mention several other roads and highways where toll isdaily levied.
The estimated toll collection from Mumbaialong is around Rs.250 crore per annum, and another Rs.800 crore from the restof the state “ though official figures are never disclosed by any private orgovernment toll collectors.
Finally, after nearly a month, the anti-tollagitation bore fruit “ the state government has reluctantly agreed to reviewthe toll policy and even include MNS in the discussions, due to be held byAugust-end.
The MNS has made it clear “ “We are notagainst toll. We want rationalization and transparency, and a reasonablefigure. Most important, how much is the cost of creating a particularinfrastructure and how much is the recovery by way of toll,” Thackeray declaredrecently.
According to unofficial estimates, in someinstances, the toll recovered has been manifold the actual expenditure incurredon the infra-project “ and nobody knows where the additional amount has gone!
Toll is not the only tax that road users areforced to shell out each time they take out their vehicle. In some parts, localmunicipalities levy entry tax, hill-station administrative bodies charge theirown different taxes under different names…
In some parts of Jammu & Kashmir, therehave been instances of shady characters blocking the roads with a stick or apole or truck tyres, stopping vehicles and demanding ‘voluntary tax.’
In other parts of the country, especially atpopular pilgrim centres, self-styled local groups fleece innocents “ in allinstances, people prefer to pay up or be at the mercy of goons lurking around.
People are now hoping that if Maharashtratakes a lead in making the entire process transparent, make the charges morereasonable.
