Positive about toll tax abolition: Devendra Fadnavis

“My government is committed to addressing the hardships caused to people. Our government will not encourage contractor-driven policies.”

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Kolhapur was the centre of an agitation against toll tax, which turned into a major election plank ahead of the 2014 assembly and parliamentary elections. One of those who led the agitation in Kolhapur was CPI leader Govind Pansare, who was killed by unknown persons.

During the last Budget session of the legislature, the state government had scrapped toll booths on smaller roads. Fadnavis said, “The government has set up a committee led by transport minister Eknath Shinde, which includes senior minister Chandrakant Patil (guardian minister of Kolhapur city) to work out the plan to abolish toll booths.”

Fadnavis told KATC that the decision should be workable and sustainable and not taken without ascertaining related issues. “The chief minister is serious about abolishing toll booths in the city.

“I am sure he will not let us down as the previous (Congress-NCP) government had,” said Patil. The KATC leader added that he agreed with the CM that an assessment of the roads should be done.

Patil said, “The Rs 220-crore project on roads undertaken by private company IRB has several shortcomings which we placed before Fadnavis. He is willing to look into these aspects.”