(Pics) Raj Thackeray pacifier: Chavan assures new toll policy

Updated: Thursday, February 13, 2014, 12:35 [IST]

Mumbai, Feb 13: The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, who was briefly detained by the Maharashtra police for the toll booth row, met chief minister Prithviraj Chavan over the same. Demanding the closure of 22 toll booths, the MNS chief justified the party's protests against the toll tax saying that it was unfair for the commuters as the roads and the transport systems are in very bad shape.

The chief minister in return assured Thackeray that the final draft for the new toll booth policy has been prepared and would be out soon.

On Wednesday, MNS workers including the women's wing stormed the roads, highways and the toll plazas in Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Raigad and Nashik, vandalising them. The attempt was to halt the morning rush, but for the quick action of the Mumbai police that the attempt failed.

Both public and private transport were targetted in Pune, Aurangabad and other areas, forcing the police to resort to lathicharge. Approximately 12,000 MNS workers were detained across Maharashtra as a precautionary measure. The incidents took place after Thackeray, in a rally, said that people should not pay tolls. He, however ensured that educational institutes would be spared in view of exams.