RTI activist Anil Galgali on Friday alleged that while the Mumbai Entry Point Limited is collecting toll at five entry points to Mumbai, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corp (MSRDC) has allegedly spent Rs 119 crore on maintenance of 31 flyovers, which was supposed to be maintained by MEP Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, the company which has been allotted the right for collection of toll from the 5 entry points to Mumbai for Rs 2242.35 crore
RTI activist Anil Galgali on Friday alleged that while the Mumbai Entry Point Limited is collecting toll at five entry points to Mumbai, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corp (MSRDC) has allegedly spent Rs 119 crore on maintenance of 31 flyovers, which was supposed to be maintained by MEP Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, the company which has been allotted the right for collection of toll from the 5 entry points to Mumbai for Rs 2242.35 crore.
Galgali claims that this information was provided to him by MSRDC.
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Activist Anil Galgali had sought information from the PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil, regarding the collection of toll on the five toll nakas for entry into Mumbai.
As per the press release sent to media, Galgali has said that his application was transferred to the MSRDC.
“Muktesh Wadkar, Executive Engineer of the MSRDC providing the details, gave the papers pertaining to the award of contract to MEP Infrastructure Pvt Ltd. He further informed that prior to year 2010-11 MSRDC was itself doing the toll collection. In the year 1999-2000 it collected Rs 28.35 crore, for year 2000-2001 - Rs 56.57 crore, 2001-2002 - Rs 65.12 crore, 2002-2003 - Rs 476.84 crore, 2008-2009 - Rs 68.65 crore, 2009-2010 - Rs. 231.39 crore. MSRDC could not provide the details corresponding for 5 years between 2003-2004 to 2007-2008. In the year 2010-2011, MEP Infrastructure Pvt Ltd was awarded the contract for toll collection, authorising collection up to November 19, 2026 for a paltry Rs 2242.35 crore,” said Galgali.
31 flyovers' construction costed Rs 1058 Crores
“MSRDC has further informed Anil Galgali that MSRDC has spent Rs 1058 crore 34 lakh 66 thousand 885 for construction of the 31 flyovers. The cost was to be recovered by collection of Toll on the 5 entry points to Mumbai. It spent Rs 228 crore 79 lakh 95 thousand 916 which included 8 flyovers at Dattapada, GMLR, Jaycoach, Kalina-Vakola, Mahim, National Park, & Rani Sati Marg. In the Eastern Corridor, it spent Rs 241 crore 40 lakh 99 thousand 450, which included Chedda Nagar, AGLR, CST-Kurla, GMLR, Golden Dyes, JVLR, Nitin Casting & Cadbury, Sion & Vikhroli flyovers. It spent Rs 173 crore 57 lakh 55 thousand 891 on the Airoli flyover. On the LBS Marg: Kanjurmarg, JVLR (Gandhi Nagar), JVLR (Saki Vihar) costed Rs 126 crore 91 lakh 21 thousand 889. In Mumbai city: JJ Flyover, N M Joshi Marg, Senapati Bapat Marg costed Rs 144 crore 81 lakh 50 thousand 864 to the MSRDC. On the Sion-Panvel corridor flyovers at BARC, Chembur-Mankhurd Link Road, Kharghar, Konkan Bhavan, Nerul, Taloja, widening of underpasses at Vashi & Konkan Bhavan costed Rs 142 crore 83 lakh 42 thousand 876,” stated the press release.
Galgali has alleged that the authorities have not provided him the details regarding the toll collection and vehicle count at the toll plazas.
“I had sought information about the toll collected in the past 5 years by MEP Infrastructure Ltd and also the total number of vehicles crossing the toll nakas in these past 5 years which has not been provided with,” said Galgali.
Anil Galgali, while expressing his views, stated that there are many flyovers, which were constructed prior to year 2000 at the cost of the state exchequer, for which too toll is being collected. Also, private entities like MEP Infrastructure are being given opportunities to earn huge profits, which is very surprising. At one end, the state government is talking of closing down the toll nakas, but in actuality, there is no proposal to shut down these 5 toll nakas.
What MSRDC has to say
R Mopalwar, MSRDC VC and Managing Director said, “It’s a complex issue and there are technical things that are involved in the same.”
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