Mumbai: Protests continue against Kharghar toll naka

Amid heavy security, hundreds of workers of the PWP gathered at the Kharghar toll naka on the Sion-Panvel highway on Thursday, to protest against the functioning of the toll plaza.

Amid heavy security, hundreds of workers of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) gathered at the Kharghar toll naka on the Sion-Panvel highway on Thursday, to protest against the functioning of the toll plaza.

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Former Uran MLA Vivek Patil said, “We will soon meet chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the toll plaza. We will intensify our agitation if there is no positive development on our demand. There are three toll plazas in the city within a distance of 40km, which increases the burden on motorists. The Kharghar toll naka should be scrapped at the earliest.”

Sion-Panvel highway is one of the busiest roads in the state. Hence police had made elaborate arrangement to ensure smooth flow of traffic the highway amidst protest by PWP activists.

The staff at the plaza, however, ensured there were no traffic snarls along the stretch. Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Arvind Salve and deputy commissioner of police (zone II) Sanjay Yenpure were present at the spot to monitor the situation. “Around 200 traffic policemen, one SRP battalion, 800 police personnel from zone II, 20 other police officials, fire brigade, ambulance and anti-riot vehicles were deployed on the highway to prevent any untoward incident,” said Yenpure.

Taking potshot at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Prashant Thakur, Patil said Thakur had quit Congress over the toll naka issue and joined the saffron party. “Will Thakur now quit the BJP which gave the green light to start the toll naka,” asked Patil.