Baramati will be toll-free from September 1
Mrunal Jadhav
Baramati, August 29, 2020: Toll gates will be now freely open for all. The Maharashtra government has decided to close the toll nakas towards Baramati from September 1. The state government will pay a compensation of around Rs 75 crore to the citizens of Baramati, stated the deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar taking the initiative whose home turf is also Baramati. As a result, freighters will now get a tax relief while entering Baramati.
The Maharashtra Road Development Corporation had constructed bypass roads in 2003 at Rs 25 crore. It was decided to transfer 22 acres of garbage depot land owned by Baramati Municipality to the Road Development Corporation and also toll collection was on. For many years people paid a toll twice for entering and exiting Baramati. Toll plazas were set up on Indapur, Bhigwan, Nira and Patas roads in the city and they collected toll for many years. After the decision of the state government, four-wheeler passenger vehicles got toll exemption and freight and other vehicles had to pay the toll. Meanwhile, the municipality failed to transfer the promised 22 acres garbage depot land to the board of road development, as the civic administration didn’t have an alternative space to move on. Following which dispute was taken to court for resolution.
After Ajit Pawar swore as the deputy chief minister in the new government, he had given instructions to sort out the Baramati toll issue. After the discussion, the contractor running toll plaza will be paid Rs 74.52 crore as compensation. Plus, the 22-acre plot is to be handed over to the Road Development Board and also decided to withdraw the court claims. The ownership of this road will now be transferred to the Public Construction Department from September 1. Therefore, the municipality will have to find another place for the garbage depot as the plot will be soon handed over to the Road Development Board. This will also end the inconvenience caused to the citizens of the city by the garbage depots. Light vehicles were exempted from the toll, but now the heavy vehicles will be exempted from the toll as well, which will benefit the traders.
