Irked over wasting time in long queues and paying the toll in cash, a Mumbaikar has started an online petition on Change.org against Dahisar toll naka for linking it to FASTag services. The petitioner Amritesh Vaid in his petition pointed out that the mismanagement is leading to hundreds of vehicles spewing smoke for hours affecting the environment.
Vaid in his petition on Change.org stated, "The Dahisar toll point creates a bottleneck that stretches for a kilometre in a city like Mumbai, during peak hours. Engines idling, burning fuel, spewing smoke and further destroying our fragile environment. Not to mention valuable time wasted in hundreds of man-hours. Why can't it be linked to electronic payment? Will eliminate cash and thus potential fraud. Save time, save money and save the environment."
There has been a demand from commuters using Dahisar toll naka regularly to link the facility with FASTag or electronic payment system. There has also been a long pending demand from residents to make the toll naka one-sided accepting return journey payments but in vain.
"The toll naka should be linked to FASTag at the earliest. For years now, there have been vehicles queuing up as far as one to two kilometres least. I have also suggested making the Dahisar toll naka one-sided. They can easily issue toll receipts for a return journey. I am planning to visit the toll naka soon personally to check the management myself," said Jagdish Oza, BJP corporator from Dahisar
Hotelier and resident Uday Shetty too has been raising the issue of mismanagement at Dahisar toll naka for years now. Last year, Shetty wrote to the local authorities and the state government pointing out the same.
He said: "50 per cent problem at the Dahisar toll naka will be resolved if they start accepting return journey toll. Making it one-sided toll will be very beneficially. FASTag too will help reduce stress and jams that we are witnessing every day currently at the toll naka. Unless these things are worked out, the long queues, vehicles emanating smoke affecting environment will continue. It is time for the state government to intervene and break this nexus at toll plazas."
