27 January,2014 05:05 PM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
At least half a dozen toll plazas were today vandalised by suspected MNS activists here after party chief Raj Thackeray asked workers not to pay toll tariff and crush the toll gates
Thane: Soon after MNS Chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday ordered his party workers to not pay the toll at the various toll plazas in Maharashtra, the toll plazas of Mumbai Entry Point Limited (MEPL) were vandalized at Mulund , Airoli and Dahisar by MNS party workers between 9-10 pm on Sunday.
MNS workers ransack a toll booth in Mumbai. File pic
Speaking to MiD DAY Jayant Mahiskar Director MEPL said, "On Sunday night party workers of a political party vandalized our toll plazas at Dahisar, Airoli and Mulund.
Some men came near the toll plaza at Dahisar and pelted the stones at the toll booth but police officials who were present at the spot immediately arrested the people who vandalized the toll plaza."
Mahiskar also claimed that the toll collection was not affected by the protest. "We have suffered some losses due to the damage to our property at toll plazas but it has really not affected the toll collection. As of now the toll collection is going on properly at all the five entry points to Mumbai where we have toll plazas."
It should be noted that MNS Chief Raj Thackeray on Sunday while speaking n a public program had ordered his party workers not to pay the toll at any toll booths. "Don't pay toll at any of the toll plazas in the state. If anyone forces you to pay the toll then crush the toll plazas. If there is traffic jam then let it happen but don't pay the toll at any cost." Raj had said on Sunday
In 2012 also MNS party workers had started its campaign against the toll plazas in the state and during that time also some toll plazas were attacked.
Traffic at various places was badly affected due to the toll protest. The toll plazas at Nagpur, Aurangabad were also attacked.
MNS MLA Pravin Darekar and his supporters also protested at the Dahisar toll plazas on Monday morning because of which traffic was affected.
MNS has been against the toll collection from long time and the party has been alleging that the reason for not to pay the toll is because the condition of many roads in the state is potholes ridden even when the toll is collected.
Elsewhere in Kalyan, several toll booths in Kalyan were raided by suspected MNS men led by local MLA Prakash Bhoir, police sources said, adding offences have been registered against miscreants under various sections of the IPC.
In rural Thane, there are 8 toll booths and in the Commissionerate there are five, police said.
On January 16, a MNS legislator was among 20 people arrested for allegedly vandalising a toll booth in Dombivili township of Thane district.
The MNS has been since sometime opposing the collection of toll in the state without providing any amenities and better services to the citizens.
Earlier, suspected Shiv Sena activists had vandalised four toll booths in Maharashtra's Kolhapur city on January 12.
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