[honeybee]

In what is probably the second example known to me, the toll collection on the Mumbra bypass road is to stop from today. The contract for the same had been awarded for a period from September 2000 till September 2014.

This translates into a Rs. 900/- saved per month for travelling on this pathetic excuse of a road.

Source & Full Article

Motorists using the four-lane Mumbra bypass do not have to pay toll from Sunday midnight as the 14-year contract between the state government and the private agency maintaining the 6.6-km stretch has expired.

The state is in no mood to revive the contract as the notification has asked the contractor, Atlanta Company, which was awarded the project on build-operate-transfer basis from September 2000 to 2014, including construction time, to pack up by Sunday midnight. The Mumbra bypass on Mumbai-Pune Highway is a crucial link to traffic from Delhi, Ahmedabad, Nashik going towards Panvel, JNPT, Pune and beyond.

[knight.rider]

Hey thanks for the update! Always thought that it was captured by some people. Didn't know it was genuine. Yeah any money saved is money earned. The road is getting increasingly busy day by day. Hope something is done to improve the condition of the road. Especially near the market area.

[mahesh_sn]

That's good news for me. I frequently do Airoli-Kalyan route via the very pathetic Mahape Shil road. If anybody wants to experience a potholed concrete road, this is the one. Repair work is going on for ages here. The only time I took the tolled Mumbra bypass, I found it much better than Mahape Shil road.

[ghodlur]

Now the real test for the road begins. The state authorities will have no one to point the finger at for any issues with the road. I had travelled on this road a few months back and had swore not to ever travel on the road again. The attitude of the toll operator was pathetic in fulfilling the basic responsibilities. I seriously hope that the road is maintained motorable by the state authorities.

[honeybee]

Well, no reason to believe the PWD or MSRDC or MMRDA would be any better at maintaining the roads.

[arnabchak]

This is one stretch which is used by the heavy to very heavy trucks.

Even during the toll tenure, it was a joke of a road stretch.

Now, with the toll gone, this may just be a defunct stretch with very low private vehicle frequency.

BTW, just for the kick had gone there last week. The greenery and waterfall looked beautiful.

[latentpotential]

This is now on the list of must avoid roads, unless something is done by MSRDC or PWD.

The edges are unsafe, insufficiently barricaded, there are yearly mini landslides on the road, and below the road, trucks drive rashly and routinely figure in local news for "toppled over the edge".

It was a good initiative that has not been taken care of to keep it safe.

[honeybee]

Some surprise. The PWD has resurfaced the part of the road which had sunk in last year due to landslide. The entire stretch on both sides has now been done up in tar and almost levelled. One can now drive over this patch without having to slow down for the undulations.

The shutting down of the toll has also removed all traffic jams at toll booths and the flow of traffic is extremely smooth.

Wonder when the Dombivli Kalyan toll plazas will be dismantled as they are the biggest traffic jam spots now.

[raghu.t.k]

Who maintains the road after the tolls are stopped? In Chennai, even the toll roads are not properly maintained. The Chennai Bypass which was a beautiful road had lumps of tar which could skid light vehicles. This being the state, was wondering who takes care of it after the toll ends, esp when the road is heavily used.

[honeybee]

The PWD maintains the roads. So far they seem to have made improvements to the Mumbra bypass, far beyond my expectations.

Of course that's a rarity.