The Maharashtra government has said that there will be no toll fees for light vehicles at all five toll booths in Mumbai. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced this, stating that the change will start at midnight. The goal of this decision is to help reduce traffic and make it easier for people living in Mumbai and those traveling there, especially before the Diwali festival.

Toll waiver for light vehicles at five booths

The toll booths where the fee waiver applies are Dahisar, LBS Road-Mulund, Eastern Express Highway-Mulund, Airoli Creek Bridge, and Vashi. Light motor vehicles like cars, jeeps, vans, autorickshaws, and delivery vans can now go through these toll booths without having to pay any tolls. This change will help over six lakh vehicles that travel through Mumbai every day, and 80% of those vehicles are light motor vehicles.

Eknath Shinde said that the toll waiver was a long-standing demand from the public. He explained that removing the tolls would save time, reduce fuel consumption, and help lower pollution. Shinde called the decision a masterstroke and compared it to other programs like Laadli Bahin, Laadla Bhai, and Laadla Farmers, which aim to help different groups. He also clarified that the toll waiver is a permanent decision, rejecting claims that it was made for election purposes.

This toll-free decision is expected to make things easier for people in Mumbai, who have often complained about waiting in long lines at toll booths. By stopping the toll charges for small vehicles, the government wants to reduce traffic and make travel quicker in and out of the city.

Maharashtra minister Dadaji Dagadu Bhuse shared information about the old toll fees. Small vehicles had to pay between₹45 and₹75 at these toll booths. Around 3.5 lakh vehicles used these tolls every day, and 2.80 lakh of them were small vehicles. The new toll-free rule is expected to save time for people, especially during busy travel times.

The decision also excludes heavy vehicles, such as trucks and tankers, which will still be required to pay tolls. Heavy vehicles, which make up around 70,000 of the total vehicles entering and exiting Mumbai, are categorized as those with a gross weight exceeding 7,500 kg.

Why is the opposition criticizing the toll waiver decision?

The opposition is saying that the toll waiver decision was made to win votes in the upcoming Assembly elections. However, Chief Minister Shinde disagreed and said that the government had been talking about this decision for many months, and it was not just about politics.

Shinde criticized the Shiv Sena (UBT) by saying they care more about collecting tolls than helping the public. He said his government is focused on helping people, while he accused the opposition of only wanting to take from them.