Following severe criticism over not fulfilling the election promise of closing down toll booths, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra on Friday announced the complete closure of 12 booths and partial closing of 53 others. The decision will be implemented from May 31.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement in the Assembly about the closure of 12 toll booths, 11 of which belong to Public Works Department (PWD) and one to the Maharashtra State Roads Development Corporation (MSRDC). The State will buy back these
As per the announcement, Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) and State transport vehicles have been exempted from paying toll tax at the 53 other toll booths.
However, the CM’s decision is not applicable to key toll booths of Mumbai and those on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. The State has set up a committee to review these tolls and a decision is likely by the end of July.
The issue of tolls was one of the central issues during last year’s Assembly elections and various BJP leaders had promised to close down all toll booths in the State.
