In a significant move ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced that light motor vehicles will no longer need to pay tolls at Mumbai's five toll booths, effective midnight, Oct 15. This decision is expected to bring relief to the over 600,000 vehicles that cross Mumbai daily, 80% of which are light motor vehicles such as cars, jeeps, vans, and small trucks.
The five toll booths that will be affected are Dahisar, LBS Road-Mulund, Eastern Express Highway-Mulund, Airoli Creek Bridge, and Vashi. Commuters had long complained of long waiting times at these booths, and this move should ease their travel woes, especially ahead of Diwali.
Good News For Eastern Suburbs Real Estate
This move is expected to boost the real estate market in suburbs like Thane, Airoli and Vashi as traveling to and from these areas will become more convenient and cost-effective, making them even more attractive to potential homebuyers.
And with the ongoing festive season, developers can expect more traction for their projects across Thane, Airoli, Vashi and beyond.
Thane, in particular, has been growing rapidly, transforming from a suburban location to a self-sustained city within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The toll waiver will improve travel times and make these suburbs more accessible, increasing their appeal to potential residents.
Overall, the toll waiver is a welcome move for Thane and nearby regions, likely to propel their real estate markets forward and make them even more desirable places to live and invest.
The Election Gimmick Or Strategic Move
Activists have pointed out that the maintenance costs for these toll booths were recovered ten years ago, yet the government continued to collect tolls. In fact, the Maharashtra government had extended toll tax recovery for another three years until 2027, expecting to collect around Rs 11,000 crore.
This toll-free move tonight is being seen as a pre-poll stunt by Maharashtra's government to woo voters as it comes just before the elections, raising questions if the government is temporarily scraping toll to gain favour with the public.
The opinions vary as some view this as a short-term gimmick rather than a lasting solution while others state that this toll-free move could be a part of a broader strategy. However, its impact on the election outcome and real estate remains to be seen.
