Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde is taking action on the Somatane Phata toll plaza’s closure after local complaints and violations surfaced
Maharashtra: So, there’s been quite a stir over the Somatane Phata toll plaza. Eknath Shinde, the Deputy Chief Minister, is stepping in after some serious complaints came up. A former corporator and RTI activist, Arun Mane, sent letters to Shinde’s office and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) about some major violations happening at the toll plaza.
Mane claims the plaza is breaking central government rules. He’s got documents to back it up, saying it’s too close to another toll point. According to a 2008 rule, toll plazas should be at least 60 km apart. But guess what? This one is only 32 km from the Varsoli toll plaza and just 2 km from the Talegaon Dabhade Municipal Council limits. That’s a big no-no!
Residents are also pretty fed up with the traffic jams and long waits, especially for emergency vehicles. Some folks have been stuck there for hours! It’s a real hassle, especially when every minute counts. Plus, there are no service roads for nearby villages, which just makes things worse for daily commuters.
An anonymous MSRDC official mentioned that they’ll follow Shinde’s directives, but the current contract with the toll plaza operator runs until 2030. So, it looks like there’s a long road ahead before any changes happen.
This issue has even been brought up in the State assembly by Maval MLA Sunil Shelke. It seems like the community is really rallying for change!
