Mumbai: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday decided to completely waive the collection of toll in Kolhapur district within the next three months, during which period no road levy would be collected from the motorists.
A similar decision is likely to be taken for Mumbai metropolitan region as well.
For the last fortnight, vehicles passing through Kolhapur had been exempted from paying toll. As the 15-day toll waiver period ended today, it was extended by another three months.
"Since the period of toll exemption at toll booths in Kolhapur expired today, the state government has decided that vehicles will be exempted from paying toll for another three months, by the end of which the committee appointed to look in to the issue will take its final call regarding the toll-waiver," Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Eknath Shinde told reporters here today.
"But I can assure that the outcome of the committee will reflect our decision that toll will not have to be payed by people of Kolhapur district," he said.
When asked about the government's stand on waiving toll on Mumbai entry points, Shinde said that a meeting of concerned officials will be held next week, that will take a final call on the issue.
"The government is very serious on waiving toll for the residents of Mumbai. There are certain modalities that need to be worked out first. A meeting of concerned officials is to be held next week, after which we will be able to take a call," he said.
When asked how much financial burden it would put on the government if it waived the toll in Mumbai and Kolhapur, Shinde said that the state is yet to assess it.
The government had recently announced waiver of road toll for cars and state transport buses at 65 plazas across Maharashtra from the midnight of May 31.
A committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary (PWD) has been set up to check if smaller vehicles can be exempted from paying toll on six toll booths on the fringes of Mumbai (Vashi, Airoli, Mulund, Bhandup, Dahisar), the Bandra-Worli sea link and the Mumbai-Pune Expressway.
