Scam/ Corruption in Toll Plaza

[shyaGO]

This may be , I have been handed down 'toffees' instead of change very often on toll booths on Pune to Aurangabad state highway. My daughter likes them, but what I found interesting is that they also 'accept' toffees if the next toll booth is from same collection company. Funny that, in very tiny bit Indian economy does run on sweets!

[DicKy]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

I have always got the receipt in a toll. But I have often thought about the toll booth at Akkulam Bridge, just in front of Kulathunkal Motors, Trivandrum, in NH 47. I have been seeing that toll booth for ages and now they still keep collecting the toll! No one knows whether the period for collecting the toll is over or not. Any info about it anyone?

Same goes for the Amaravila bridge on the NH47, it's been 5+ years since they have started collecting toll and they haven't stopped yet.Needeless to pay i don't pay the toll at all(Hate tolled roads,i mean that's what road tax is for)
And that too it's just a beamed bridge about 15m long,haven't they recovered it yet?

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by jealousdiamond

The one that I can immediately remeber of is the one set up , just as you cross Bavdhan from Chandani Chowk . This booth has been termed illegal and has a public petition(Bavdhan residents ) running in the Shivaji Nagar court and has been termed to be on " STAY " (no collection) , but still they are collecting .

Remember Sudarshan not paying last time (Team BHP meet) and me frequently not paying proves it . Oh BTW , even if you end up paying someday (while tailing some cars ) take a 1 side toll and while returning flash the reciept in your hand , nobody cares to check that . Tried and tested .

Tried and tested this too at the Chandni Chowk toll booth (towards Mulshi). When I passed the toll booth on the outward journey, the guy at the booth shouted out an 'Oy'. On my way back, I just followed another friends car and neither of us were stopped and there was no reaction. I didnt pay either time and now I feel good about it

Also on the way back to Pune from the mega meet, I had a two way toll receipt for the Somatane toll naka on the old NH4. However, the return is only valid till midnight and now that I think of it we passed that toll gate only after midnight. Nobody checked the date/ time when I flashed the receipt and just let me go.

next test at the Khanapur toll naka on NH4 towards Satara

[mdsaab]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Tried and tested this too at the Chandni Chowk toll booth (towards Mulshi). When I passed the toll booth on the outward journey, the guy at the booth shouted out an 'Oy'. On my way back, I just followed another friends car and neither of us were stopped and there was no reaction. I didnt pay either time and now I feel good about it

Also on the way back to Pune from the mega meet, I had a two way toll receipt for the Somatane toll naka on the old NH4. However, the return is only valid till midnight and now that I think of it we passed that toll gate only after midnight. Nobody checked the date/ time when I flashed the receipt and just let me go.

next test at the Khanapur toll naka on NH4 towards Satara

Yup the Chandni Chowk towards Mulshi is indeed an illegal one.
I had posted the same in my earlier post.
Just drove by and no one did a thing.
Another one is the Toll booth on the way to Jadhavgadh.

[NPV]

I had a recent experience in last week on May when I driving to Munnar from Coimbatore. At the outskirts of Coimbatore (Ukkadam) there is a Rs.8 toll. Since it was the first time I would be driving towards Pollachi, after handing over Rs.10 I was busy asking the attendant for directions to the Pollachi Road and then drove on after taking the Rs.2 change back. Only after about 5 minutes or so did I realise that the guy had not given me the receipt. I'm sure he did not inform the person inside the counter about my vehicle number so definitely this money went to their pockets !
Reading through this thread I really believe it's a nation-wide scam. Maybe we need a separate civil society movement now to fight "Toll-plaza corruption" !

[blorebuddy]

I have also experienced this in Krishnagiri toll and other NHAI tolls on the way to Chennai from Bangalore. I have always demanded for the receipt.

[sagarpadaki]

I experienced this on NH7 on my way to Mantralayam.The toll was Rs 80 and after giving Rs 100 i started asking directions to the person standing outside the toll(It was a open toll booth,the first one which you enounter after entering Andhra from karnataka).Collected Rs20 change and went.Later it struck to me that i had not collected the receipt

[mdsaab]

Yesterday crossed the illegal toll, on the way to Lavasa / Mulshi
Since it was Sunday there were more folks manning the place.
I decided to stop and pay the Rs. 18
On the way back though no one stopped me and i just drove by

[soarer]

@ NPV, The toll which is located in Ukkadam is not suppose to collect Tolls anymore, Even if you dont stop then wont bother to collect or even ask.I have been doing this route for so many days and stoped paying Toll for almost last 6 months.

[NPV]

Originally Posted by soarer

@ NPV, The toll which is located in Ukkadam is not suppose to collect Tolls anymore, Even if you dont stop then wont bother to collect or even ask.I have been doing this route for so many days and stoped paying Toll for almost last 6 months.

Really ? I didn't know this. From what you're saying the BOT period is over and if that's the case why do they even have the toll booth there and why is it being manned ?

EDIT: I found someone asking the exact same question (rather a complaint) on another website so it seems the target of these guys at the toll booth are the vehicles with non-TN registration !
http://www.jago.in/incident-more.php?eid=4263&language=

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Yesterday crossed the illegal toll, on the way to Lavasa / Mulshi
Since it was Sunday there were more folks manning the place.
I decided to stop and pay the Rs. 18
On the way back though no one stopped me and i just drove by

Why should you want to pay them any money?!
No offence meant, it isnt about the amount. Its just more encouragement for them to keep collecting

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by mdsaab

Yesterday crossed the illegal toll, on the way to Lavasa / Mulshi
Since it was Sunday there were more folks manning the place.
I decided to stop and pay the Rs. 18
On the way back though no one stopped me and i just drove by

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Why should you want to pay them any money?!
No offence meant, it isnt about the amount. Its just more encouragement for them to keep collecting

Time to print my words and eat them. I was a co passenger in a friends car while passing the same toll plaza this morning, and I let him pay the toll; noty without a pointless argument though.

It seems this toll plaza at Bavdhan towards Mulshi/ Pirangut now has recruited more people and installed that restricting bar too. My friend who was driving thought it was better to pay as he didnt want to spoil our mood before our drive. Nevertheless, while he was paying I told the guy collecting toll that it was mentioned in the paper that this place is not legal. His response was "kaunsa paper, dikhaao'. If I had a printout I would have stuffed it in his mouth. Anyone who can help me with a link to the original article? I will make a special trip to do the honours!

[Swanand Inamdar]

This query is more specific to Pune.

The toll at Chandani Chowk, towards Lavasa/Pirangut is illegal, we all know that. However, yesterday morning when I was at the toll, the guy stopped me and demanded that I pay the toll. Upon being told about the litigation on that particular toll, the guys got into an argument with me, threatning me to pay up, or face the consequenses.
Now, being with family, I did not want to get into a tussle, hence paid up, but not before taking the documents from them, which state that they are allowed to collect toll. This document is a piece of paper with some rubbish on how they can collect the toll and all. Doesnt look to be authentic at all.

My question is, if I want to take it up with authorities, what do I do? Also, do I really take this up with the authorities and do what's right, or just let be.

Your inputs would surely help.

[noopster]

I feel your pain, man. I have paid the toll at the Chandni Chowk plaza myself several times. On one occasion (before I knew it was illegal), I actually watched a guy refuse to pay the toll and get manhandled by the staff. It was very unsettling to watch; of course, at that time my sympathies were with the tolbooth guys since I thought it was some small time politician or minor celebrity trying to wriggle out of a valid toll payment!

With family or not, it is not possible to take on these guys since they are obviously well-connected and will probably not hesitate to resort to violence to make their point. For the authorities to sit up and take notice, you need to go pretty high up in the hierarchy, is my guess. Till then this will continue.

[selfdrive]

Originally Posted by selfdrive

Nevertheless, while he was paying I told the guy collecting toll that it was mentioned in the paper that this place is not legal. His response was "kaunsa paper, dikhaao'. If I had a printout I would have stuffed it in his mouth. Anyone who can help me with a link to the original article? I will make a special trip to do the honours!

Originally Posted by Swanand Inamdar

Upon being told about the litigation on that particular toll, the guys got into an argument with me, threatning me to pay up, or face the consequenses.

Originally Posted by noopster

With family or not, it is not possible to take on these guys since they are obviously well-connected and will probably not hesitate to resort to violence to make their point. For the authorities to sit up and take notice, you need to go pretty high up in the hierarchy, is my guess. Till then this will continue.

I have noticed they now have those barricades too.

Option 1:
Lets do the next tbhp meet on that section. Line up our vehicles there; take a printout of the said article on the newspaper and refuse to pay toll. However, lets clarify this with the traffic police beforehand. Is there any way this can be queried via FB?

Option 2: Same action as done near Sangli (re: info from Swanand). We might need more people though
Edit: and some face masks!

Option 3: Keep chickeining out and paying toll