MNS leaders held during toll agitation in Thane; protests held in Nashik as well

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Several Maharashtra Navnirman Sena functionaries were arrested on Monday in Thane district amid the Raj Thackeray-led party's protest against small vehicles being asked to pay toll, a police official said.

The agitation started after Thackeray, during the day, warned that his party workers would set fire to toll booths if small vehicles were not exempt from toll.

Incidentally, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday said small vehicles are exempt from paying toll and only heavy and commercial vehicles need to pay.

"I have sought an appointment with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the next couple of days. Will see what comes out of that meeting. Otherwise, keeping the deputy chief minister's (Devendra Fadnavis) statement in mind, MNS workers will gather at every toll booth and ensure that four, three and two-wheelers are not charged tolls. If we are stopped, we will set it ablaze,¿ Thackeray said.

In response to Thackeray's comments, Fadnavis on Monday issued a statement saying 12 toll booths in the state were closed down through an order published on May 31, 2015.

¿As many as 12 toll booths were closed via an order that came into effect from midnight May 31, 2015. There were 38 toll booths of the public works department in the state, of which 11 were closed, while of the 53 toll booths of the Maharashtra Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), one was closed," the statement said.

At the other 53 toll booths of the PWD and MSRDC put together, cars, jeeps and state transport buses are exempted from paying tolls, he said in the statement.

The decision to compensate the toll companies was taken in 2017 and a government resolution was issued on August 31, 2017, Fadnavis' statement added.

On Monday, police arrested Thane-Palghar MNS chief Avinash Jadhav, Thane city chief Ravindra More and some workers during the party's protest at Anand Nagar toll point in Thane.

They were arrested after one party worker allegedly threw a burning tyre at the booth, a police official said.
Meanwhile, in Nashik, MNS activists protested at toll plazas at Ghoti, Chandwad and Shinde-Palse on Monday and asked motorists not to pay toll.

Nashik MNS leaders Sunil Gaidhani and Suresh Ghuge submitted a memorandum to authorities at the toll plaza.

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