Team-BHP > Street Experiences


Reply
  Search this Thread
22,517 views
Old 9th August 2008, 11:58   #1
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 3,717
Thanked: 449 Times
Suspicious Toll collected in Lonavla & Mahabaleshwar?

I was in Lonavala yesterday going to Tiger point. Near Bushi Dam, there was a police outpost and they were charging toll from every vehicle. We were two people in a SX4 and we were charged Rs.30 (Rs.5 per person in car and Rs.20 for the car)! We were not given any reciept for the money paid and the people were in typical police raincoats (bright yellow ones) with the police lathi's that they carry.

No one knows who authorised the implementation of this toll and for what. There is no proper toll naka either. There is just a police chowky kind of thing with the words POLICE written across it and the equipment they use to make nakabandi's to guide cars going towards bushi damn, tiger point and sahara city into the toll plaza. About 6 people were controlling the 'toll plaza'. I strongly suspect that the cops got together and decided to make some money. Do members here know anything about this toll? With the monsoons in full force, the number of vehicles going to Lonavla is HUGE. Imagine the money being made there.

Most important is, if this is illegal, then how do we take action?

Last edited by amit : 9th August 2008 at 12:04.
amit is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 9th August 2008, 12:13   #2
Team-BHP Support
 
Zappo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Hyderabad
Posts: 5,917
Thanked: 2,651 Times

Write to the DG of Police, Maharashtra informing about the case in its entirety. Draw the attention to the fact that a road toll is only collected when a new investment in infrastructure is made, mostly in Private/Public partnership model. In this case however this toll collection 'camp by the roadside' has come up out of the blue for no apparent reason and is being manned by policemen who do not issue any receipts for the money being collected.

I think this much will do the trick immediately if that collection drive is illegal. If you want some more effect you can even mark a copy of your mail to the editor of The Times Of India, both Mumbai and Pune editions.
Zappo is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 12:21   #3
Senior - BHPian
 
Technocrat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: GTA
Posts: 14,813
Thanked: 2,700 Times

I believe its legal As I have always insisted on getting a receipt & always got one at that spot. Also whenever i have been there all of the guys look unofficial people but since i get the receipt I didnt think further. But yes you need to insist else they wont give you the receipt
Technocrat is offline   (1) Thanks
Old 9th August 2008, 16:21   #4
GTO
Team-BHP Support
 
GTO's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Bombay
Posts: 70,335
Thanked: 298,728 Times

Amit,

The toll for that section came up only after the new 2-way bridge was constructed. I don't know whether the toll charges are authorised or not.
GTO is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 16:47   #5
Senior - BHPian
 
nitrous's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: UAE/Lon/Madras
Posts: 6,965
Thanked: 322 Times

best offensive move for this particular illegal collection would be going to the press.
nitrous is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 17:00   #6
Senior - BHPian
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 3,717
Thanked: 449 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by GTO View Post
Amit,

The toll for that section came up only after the new 2-way bridge was constructed. I don't know whether the toll charges are authorised or not.
But GTO, that 2 way bridge is now quite old. It's probably 3 years old isnt it? Why start the toll now? I drove upto Tiger Point in April this year and there was no toll.

Besides, the method of charging toll is unique. It's a combination of number of people in the car PLUS the car itself! So a Sumo with 7 people will pay Rs.55 (Rs. 5 per person X 7 persons PLUS Rs.20 for the car.) And there are buses that go up there too!

Last edited by amit : 9th August 2008 at 17:03.
amit is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 17:20   #7
Distinguished - BHPian
 
Sam Kapasi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Mumbai (but wat
Posts: 6,997
Thanked: 2,376 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by amit View Post
We were not given any reciept for the money paid
Did you insist on a receipt? You should have. You are entitled to get a receipt for every Rupee you pay out legally and it is your right as a citizen.

You are also well within your right to refuse to pay any money unless you receive an official receipt. Nobody, I repeat, NOBODY can take an official charge from you without issuing a receipt. Regardless of his designation or uniform.
Sam Kapasi is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 17:56   #8
BHPian
 
diwa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: chennai
Posts: 354
Thanked: 180 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by amit View Post
We were two people in a SX4 and we were charged Rs.30 (Rs.5 per person in car and Rs.20 for the car)! We were not given any reciept for the money paid and the people were in typical police raincoats (bright yellow ones) with the police lathi's that they carry.
I have my own doubts here. I can understand Rs 20/- Toll for a car but Rs 5/- per person? This is fishy and that too no receipt. I have never heard about toll charged per head unless its an entry into a amusement park or any exhibition.
diwa is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 18:17   #9
F50
Senior - BHPian
 
F50's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Mumbai/USA
Posts: 1,707
Thanked: 103 Times

Amit, this toll is there since a long time. I dont remember the date but it was a Team-Bhp Drive and I was in whose car was it V-16's or Scoobys or Viper, but they stopped us and asked for 20 bucks - Rs.5 per passenger. But someone said I stay over here and they let us go without taking any money.
Even I was curious to know (obviously at that time) about this new toll. But I didnt find any of them next time around when I had been to Lonavala, okay it was 3 am but still a toll is suppose to be 24 hrs right?
F50 is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 19:44   #10
BHPian
 
arpandiv's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 445
Thanked: 61 Times

this toll is there since quite some time,i have got receipts for it,but yes its not there during nights. I think its some sort of "Tourist tax" AFAIK mahableshwar also has this.
arpandiv is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 20:34   #11
Senior - BHPian
 
nishantgandhi's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Mumbai
Posts: 1,220
Thanked: 156 Times

No, this toll is locally called "Pollution tax". They charge Rs 5 per person+ some fixed amount for the car. They give receipt at times, but that depends entirely on his mood or the traffic.
nishantgandhi is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 21:17   #12
Senior - BHPian
 
danlalan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: mumbai,JUHU
Posts: 1,634
Thanked: 262 Times

Its an illegal toll naka for sure. Locals and the police have got together and made this so called toll naka.
You can refuse to pay it by just driving along if you show a press card or even a blank piece of paper through your windscreen.
Pdev does that at almost all toll nakas EXCEPT the expressway. If not the press card then fuel bills, Cd case covers, folded envelopes even tissue paper. have videos for this too.
danlalan is offline  
Old 9th August 2008, 22:18   #13
 
Cyrus43's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 5,019
Thanked: 221 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by danlalan View Post
Its an illegal toll naka for sure. Locals and the police have got together and made this so called toll naka.
You can refuse to pay it by just driving along if you show a press card or even a blank piece of paper through your windscreen.
Pdev does that at almost all toll nakas EXCEPT the expressway. If not the press card then fuel bills, Cd case covers, folded envelopes even tissue paper. have videos for this too.
And that my friend is taking blatant advantage of your press card. You will get in trouble for this one day dingdong!!

These are the Pictures of the Toll Station. They took almost 1000 bucks for the bus if i remember correctly.
Attached Thumbnails
Suspicious Toll collected in Lonavla & Mahabaleshwar?-dsc02497.jpg  

Suspicious Toll collected in Lonavla & Mahabaleshwar?-dsc02498.jpg  

Suspicious Toll collected in Lonavla & Mahabaleshwar?-dsc02499.jpg  

Suspicious Toll collected in Lonavla & Mahabaleshwar?-dsc02500.jpg  


Last edited by Cyrus43 : 9th August 2008 at 22:27.
Cyrus43 is offline  
Old 10th August 2008, 01:19   #14
F50
Senior - BHPian
 
F50's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Mumbai/USA
Posts: 1,707
Thanked: 103 Times

What is Lonavala Nagar Parishad gonna do by charging Rs.5/- per person?
F50 is offline  
Old 10th August 2008, 01:30   #15
 
Cyrus43's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: London
Posts: 5,019
Thanked: 221 Times

Quote:
Originally Posted by F50 View Post
What is Lonavala Nagar Parishad gonna do by charging Rs.5/- per person?
Have some more Desi Daru and some girls i am sure. This is absolutely ridiculous. The Press Should be shown this without fail.
Cyrus43 is offline  
Reply

Most Viewed
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Team-BHP.com
Proudly powered by E2E Networks