MNS workers go on rampage after party chief Raj Thackeray asks them to crush toll plazas; diktat issued at the inauguration of party office in Navi Mumbai on Sunday
Following orders from the party patriarch Raj Thackeray, members of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) went on a rampage and vandalised several booths in the state to prevent them from collecting toll.
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MNS members march towards Dahisar toll plaza
A few of the booths that sustained damage in the rampage were located at Dahisar, Mulund, Airoli, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Pune, Aurangabad, Sangli, Nagpur and Khalapur on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. However, later in the day tollbooths functioned normally under heavy police cover.
Police platoon stand guard outside Dahisar toll plaza to prevent MNS workers from vandalising it. Pics/Nimesh Dave
In 2012, MNS workers had gone on a similar rampage, vandalising tollbooths across the state. Speaking at the inauguration function of the party office in Navi Mumbai on Sunday, Thackeray ordered: “If there is any instance of toll collection, just crush the toll plazas. If there is a traffic jam let it be, let the situation take its own course. Do not bother, just don’t pay toll at any of the booths.”
An attendant operates from a broken booth window at Mulund toll Plaza yesterday. Pic/Sameer Markande
Toll plazas operated by the Mumbai Entry Point Limited (MEPL), which collects toll at five entry points to the city, bore the brunt of Thackeray’s diktat. Around 10 pm on Sunday, MNS workers vandalised the tollbooth at Dahisar, followed by Mulund toll plaza on the Eastern Express Highway (EEH) and Airoli toll plaza on Mulund-Airoli Road.
MEPL Director Jayant Mahiskar said, “On Sunday night the workers of a political party reached our toll plazas at Dahisar, Mulund and Airoli following which we registered a complaint at local police stations. We have also provided CCTV footage to the police officials, so that they could initiate appropriate action.”
He added that damage was done by MNS workers to the property. Toll collection at all the booths went smoothly under police protection yesterday. “We suffered losses due to the damage done to property, but at this point it will be too early to comment on the same.”
MNS MLA Pravin Darekar and party workers protested at Dahisar toll plaza yesterday, leading to traffic jams. Darekar and a few of his men were detained, following which toll collection resumed and traffic attained normalcy. Vashi toll plaza was vandalised in the evening.
At 9.15 pm on Sunday, the Airoli-Mulund bridge road was blocked by an unknown group, whose members were later identified as MNS workers. “A passer-by, Gyanesh Honmukhi, spotted an MNS flag on the dashboard of one of the cars of the vandals,” said a security guard at the Airoli toll plaza. “The Airoli check naka was blocked. MNS members pelted stones at the booth.”
They damaged cabins and computers using lathis and threatened the attendants.” The MNS has justified its stand against toll collection, citing the pothole-ridden roads in the state. Kandivli resident Jatin Doshi said, “I am happy that the MNS is protesting against the toll collection. But I hope this isn’t a political gimmick. Rather than vandalising toll plazas, the party should take up this issue with government and find an amicable solution.”
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