Shinde meets Raj on toll issue, discusses demands

Thackeray has been demanding that small cars be exempted from toll charged on vehicles entering or leaving Mumbai, a campaign he began from October 1

MUMBAI: Even as the BJP slammed Raj Thackeray for saying that Devendra Fadnavis was lying on the issue of toll, chief minister Eknath Shinde met the MNS chief on Thursday at Sahyadri, the state guesthouse. On Friday morning, state officials led by minister Dada Bhuse, who is the chairman of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), will hold a meeting with Thackeray at his residence to discuss his demand.

Chief minister Eknath Shinde met the MNS chief on Thursday at Sahyadri, the state guesthouse. (HT Photo)

Thackeray has been demanding that small cars be exempted from toll charged on vehicles entering or leaving Mumbai, a campaign he began from October 1. BJP leaders in the state are irked with him after he showed a video of Fadnavis claiming that the toll on cars had been waived and questioned the veracity of this statement. Following protests staged by his party workers, Thackeray sought an appointment with Shinde.

In a letter submitted to the CM, Thackeray demanded that the government give details on where toll was being charged and other details of the contracts entered into with toll operators. He also demanded to know how much toll was being collected and when it would end. Another contention was: when the government was levying road tax, where was the need for toll?

Meanwhile, Shinde said that the toll operators at Mumbai’s entry points needed to increase staff at the toll nakas to ensure that there were no traffic jams. He also asked for toilets and first aid centres, and told officers that videography needed to be done at toll nakas to see how many vehicles passed through them.

MSRDC minister Dada Bhuse, MLA Pramod Patil, former MLA Bala Nandgaonkar, Nitin Sardesai and other leaders were present at the meeting.