Toll booths will be set ablaze if MNS workers are stopped from ensuring small vehicles are exempted from paying tolls: Raj Thackeray

File Photo/PTI

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray issued a stern warning to the state government on Monday, stating that MNS workers would take drastic measures if they were prevented from ensuring that toll charges for small vehicles were waived. Thackeray made these remarks while addressing reporters in Mumbai, alleging that toll booths serve as a source of income for politicians in the state.

He revealed that he had requested a meeting with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the coming days to discuss the matter. However, he added that if their efforts were obstructed, MNS workers would assemble at toll booths across the state to guarantee that four-wheelers, three-wheelers, and two-wheelers were not subjected to toll charges. Thackeray even went so far as to threaten that they would set the toll booths on fire if necessary.

Thackeray's comments were in reference to a statement made by Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday, in which he asserted that small vehicles were exempt from toll payments.

Thackeray criticized all political parties that have held power in the state in recent years, accusing them of failing to fulfill their promises of making Maharashtra a toll-free state. He alleged that toll booths provided a source of income for many politicians, who receive a portion of the funds collected at these booths on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Consequently, he argued that toll booths would never be phased out, and the state would continue to lack good roads.

He also raised concerns about the handling of the funds collected at toll booths and questioned why the same companies consistently received contracts for toll collection.

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On Sunday, Thackeray said that he would meet Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to discuss the issue of toll hike against which his party workers have been protesting.

Thackeray spoke to reporters after meeting party leader Avinash Jadhav who has been on a hunger strike for the last four days to protest the toll hike that came into effect on October 1, PTI reported.

The MNS chief said that he would meet CM Shinde in the next couple of days and discuss the toll hike and other issues faced by the people of the state.

The previous Shiv Sena-BJP alliance in its election manifesto had promised to make Maharashtra free of toll, but the promise was not kept, he said. Thackeray further claimed that Shinde had in the past filed a petition in court regarding toll and later withdrew it and questioned on whose instruction he had taken the plea back. (Agencies)