The Maharashtra state cabinet has made a decision to abolish the toll charged at the entrance of Mumbai, effective from midnight tonight. This decision was made during a cabinet meeting on Monday morning by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The toll was previously set at ₹45 for 55 flyovers constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) during the Shiv Sena-BJP rule from 1995 to 1999.
The toll was collected at various checkpoints, including Mulund, Airoli, Dahisar, and Mankhurd. Despite the MSRDC’s desire to continue the toll to recover costs for the new Thane Creek Bridge, the government has decided to discontinue it. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena had been advocating for the toll’s removal, arguing that the costs had already been recovered.
Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya, who had campaigned for the toll’s elimination, welcomed this decision. Shinde, representing Thane, had been vocal about the toll being unfair to his constituents who commute to Mumbai for work and were charged at the city’s boundary.
The Mumbai Metropolitan Region is planning to construct an elevated road from Ghatkopar to Thane at a cost of ₹2,682 crore, which will be subject to a toll. This new route will provide direct connectivity for Thane residents to the Eastern Freeway, easing travel to the island city.
The decision to abolish the toll has been met with mixed reactions, with some welcoming it as a relief for commuters, while others question the financial implications for infrastructure development. The impact of this decision on the upcoming Maharashtra elections remains to be seen, as political motives are being speculated.
Overall, the scrapping of the entrance toll in Mumbai marks a significant development in the transportation infrastructure of the city, with potential implications for future projects and public perception of government policies.
