The Urban Development Department (UDD) is expected to recommend a car toll of Rs 350 on the Mumbai Trans-Harbour Link (MTHL) on Thursday. On Wednesday, insiders stated that there was little chance that the cabinet would approve a lower levy.
The UDD is reportedly in favour of charging Rs 350 for cars, Rs 560 for minibuses, and Rs 2,250 for heavy vehicles for the first two years or until December 31, 2026, despite the MMRDA, the project’s nodal agency, proposing a toll of Rs 500 for cars.
The toll booths will be situated in Shivaji Nagar close to Ulwe, and Gavhan in Chirle village. The toll will be collected for 30 years. An escrow account will be used to hold the toll that is collected via the MTHL.
On January 12, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to cut the ribbon on the Rs 17,843 crore, 22-kilometer Atal Bihari Vajpayee Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, which connects Sewri and Nhava Sheva.
According to a bureaucrat, the cabinet would be presented with the MMRDA’s suggested toll and the UDD’s comments on Thursday. The bureaucrat stated that the cabinet would need to strike a balance. Assembly and Lok Sabha polls are soon to be held. In addition to the anticipated Rs 150 reduction in the car toll from the MMRDA-proposed amount, there would also be a proportional decrease in the minibus toll.
According to an official, the MMRDA will be severely financially impacted if the toll is lowered by this much because it has a loan of Rs 15,100 crore from the Japan-based JICA, and the state government contributes Rs 27 crore. The state has guaranteed the JICA loan, and the loan will be repaid with the toll revenue. According to the official, the toll was determined by following the guidelines that the centre had established on January 14, 2014.
