Aaditya Thackeray’s ‘Toll’ Talk: Shut Collection Points on Mumbai’s Eastern, Western Express Highways

Slamming the state’s Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) for not sharing the revenue collected on the Eastern and Western Express Highways with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and former guardian minister of Mumbai Aaditya Thackeray demanded the toll plazas on these two roads be shut.

Thackeray, in a press conference, pointed out that the MSRDC transferred both these highways to the BMC in 2022 for maintenance, but the revenue collected via toll and advertisement is not being shared with the civic body. “Both these highways have been transferred to the BMC, which is maintaining them, but the MSRDC is not sharing the revenue with the BMC. Mumbaikars are already paying taxes, including road tax, to the BMC. If the BMC is responsible for these two highways, then why should they pay the additional toll? The government should stop collecting toll and exploiting Mumbaikars.”

Thackeray said that if their government comes back to power, they will shut the toll plazas on the two highways.

He further alleged the MSRDC is working for contractors. Thackeray had written a letter on August 6 to BMC administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal, questioning why the toll plazas are becoming traffic points. He had also asked why Mumbaikars should pay the tax twice, when the BMC maintains these roads.

Surprisingly, Thackeray, however, said his party will not protest on the issue, as it would unnecessarily cause problems to Mumbaikars. “The reason for not protesting is. The state government is soon going to go and we will come back to power. Once we are back, we will shut these two toll plazas,” he said.

Thackeray also gave the example of coastal road which the BMC is constructing, where there will be no toll. “While planning the coastal road, we made sure that commuters won’t be charged any toll. We made that arrangement at the planning level itself.”