NCP seeks abolition of toll collection in Mumbai

Mumbai, Dec 24: A day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced the scrapping of Kolhapur toll booths from January 1, NCP on Thursday demanded that the government should abolish toll collection in Mumbai as well.

The party also threatened an agitation if its demands are not met by the government. "Abolition of toll booths has been a long pending demand of the people of Maharashtra.

In fact, this was one of the promises made to the people while BJP campaigned for the state Assembly polls. It is high time that the government now starts fulfilling its promises," NCP Mumbai unit president Sachin Ahir told reporters here.

"It is good that the government has finally woken up to the demands of the people of Kolhapur. It now needs to get up from its slumber as far as Mumbai is concerned. They need to abolish toll nakas at the entry points of Mumbai.

If they fail to do so, NCP will hit the streets and agitate against the policies of the government," he said.

Fadnavis yesterday announced in the Assembly that the government has decided to abolish the road toll tax posts in Kolhapur from January 1, which had been bitterly opposed by people.

Maharashtra Public Works Department Minister Eknath Shinde had earlier this month said that a decision on toll at Mumbai Entry Points (MEP) would be taken only after a committee under Additional Chief Secretary Anand Kulkarni submits its report.

The deadline for submitting the report is December 31, 2015. The toll booths in question are located at Vashi, Dahisar, Mulund, Airoli and LBS Marg and the collection is done by contractors selected by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

PTI