Mumbaikars, get set for hike in toll tax from October 1

Entering or exiting Mumbai will cost you more from October 1 with the toll tax set to increase by between Rs. 5 and Rs. 20. The increase in toll tax is in keeping with a scheduled revision.

Entering or exiting Mumbai will cost you more from October 1 with the toll tax set to increase by between Rs. 5 and Rs. 20. The increase in toll tax is in keeping with a scheduled revision.

At present, motorists using cards have to pay Rs. 30 while entering or exiting the city. From October 1, they will have to shell out Rs. 35. Similarly, toll tax for mini buses will be hiked to Rs. 45 from the existing Rs. 40. Car users too will have to shell out more for their monthly passes.

Mumbai Entry Point Limited (MEPL) collects toll tax at five entry points to the city – Vashi, Airoli, LBS Marg, Eastern Express Highway and Dahisar.

MEPL chair man Jayant Mhaiskar said “The revision of toll tax is being done as per the notification of the public works department in 2002 and is vetted by the apex court.”

The revision is supposed to be carried out every three years, so the next revision is scheduled for October 2017.

The hike i s expected to become an issue during campaigning for the upcoming assembly elections in the state, as political parties may use the issue to gain political mileage.

A Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) legislator said that party chief Raj Thackeray will take a call on how to deal with the issue. “We have told our leader about the hike,” he said.

Earlier this year, there were violent protests against toll collection in the state. Kolhapur was the epicentre of these protests, with toll booths being ransacked and burned. The MNS had alleged that there was a nexus between the state government and contractors with regard to toll collection.

Residents of Kharghar and Panvel have already expressed their opposition to the proposed toll booth at Kamothe.