The Maharashtra government on Thursday announced a toll-tax waiver, akin to previous years, for the public heading towards the Konkan region during the annual Ganesh Utsav in their private vehicles.
Minister for Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) Eknath Shinde announced that the toll-tax waiver would kick in two days prior to the Ganesh Utsav, which would be celebrated from August 22, and the relief would be in place two days after the 10-day festival ends.
Shinde held a meeting via video-conference – owing to the raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak – with the minister of state for home Shambhuraj Desai and other state officials to finalise the toll-tax waiver.
Motorists will have to go to their local police station and register their details, including name, address, vehicle owners’ name, vehicle registration number, and the date of journey in a bid to avail of the toll-tax waiver that will be granted by the issuance of a sticker.
Every year, thousands of people, who belong to Maharashtra’s Konkan region, visit their villages and towns in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts for the Ganpati festival.
{{/usCountry}}Every year, thousands of people, who belong to Maharashtra’s Konkan region, visit their villages and towns in Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts for the Ganpati festival.
{{/usCountry}}People heading to Konkan either use the Mumbai-Goa highway (National Highway-66) or go via the Mumbai Pune Expressway, or Pune-Kolhapur highway, which is a toll stretch.
The total toll tax from Mumbai to Konkan is estimated to be between ₹500 and ₹600, depending on the type of vehicle.
Shinde tweeted after the meeting that like previous years the state government has decided to waive off the toll tax.
“In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, those travelling to Konkan will need to produce a Covid-19 negative report and an e-pass to travel,” he tweeted.
The state government has also pressed into service more Maharashtra State Transport Road Corporation (MRSTC) buses to ferry people to Konkan during the festival.
Passengers travelling via MRSTC buses will not need an e-pass, but will mandatorily need to undergo a Covid-19 test 48 hours prior to their journey.
Only those whose Covid-19 test results come negative will be allowed to travel, as per the guidelines of the state government.