Fast tag at APMC market to reduce congestion caused by parked trucks

Navi Mumbai's APMC will implement entry charges and a Fast Tag system to reduce vehicle congestion and boost revenue at its markets.

Navi Mumbai: In an attempt to streamline traffic around Vashi’s Agriculture Produce Market Committee (APMC) and to improve the market’s operative efficiency, the authorities have decided to implement entry charges for vehicles. A Fast Tag system will be installed at all the five entry points of the markets.

Fast tag at APMC market to reduce congestion caused by parked trucks

The decision has been taken to restrict the parking of trucks and other vehicles in the market which currently leads to congestion. It will also help boost the market revenue.

The decision to install the Fast Tag facility was taken at a meeting of the APMC authorities led by APMC secretary P L Khandagale with leaders of all the markets, stakeholders and Mathadi leader MLC Shashikant Shinde held to resolve various market issues.

Among various issues, the vehicle congestion problems were raised during the meeting. Thousands of vehicles come to the markets from all over the country with agricultural produce which is then bought by retailers for sale in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. APMC has five markets including onion and potato, vegetable, fruit, spices and grains market.

Vehicles carrying goods to load and unload, those of farmers, retailers traders and other stakeholders enter the market in large numbers. While vehicles carrying goods enter and exit the market on payment of small fees, private vehicles do not pay. Besides, there have been allegations of manipulation in the payment of entry and exit fees for goods vehicles. There is also no restriction or fine at present on the time the vehicles stay in the market premises.

Despite unloading the goods, several trucks continue to be parked inside the busy market premises. This causes congestion and other vehicles bringing in goods for unloading and also retailers’ vehicles to load the produce, find it difficult to enter. There are also cases of vehicles of various stakeholders and outsiders being parked in the market.

“A decision has been made to install barricades and a fast tag system at all the gates, as is done at the toll plazas. It will help smooth traffic movement in the market and also increase revenue,” said Shinde.

Khandagale said the Fast Tag system will be in place at all the gates of the market in the next few days. “It will curb the unnecessary parking of vehicles within the market. The fine will also be levied on vehicles that stay inside even after unloading. It will resolve the congestion issue as well as increase the revenue of the market committee.”