The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) in charge of Bandra Worli Sealink (BWSL) and Mumbai-Pune Expressway among others has directed to deactivate automatic toll collection (ETC) tag. The private agency, MEP Infrastructure, responsible for toll collection on these two toll plazas sending alerts to commuters on same.
One of the users, who received message reads, "Your existing MEP ETC tag will be deactivated w.e.f. 28.01.2021 as per directives of MSRDC. Kindly visit RGSL plaza for further assistance. Fastag available at POS Counter of RGSL. Thank You."
Vijay Waghmare, Joint Managing Director MSRDC explained, "If both ETC tag and FASTag are used by a particular vehicle, the sensor boom at toll lane takes some time. The amount may get deducted from both and therefore to avoid faulty toll rebate now we are asking travelers/users to use only FASTags." He asserted that the balance amount available in ETC account can be transferred to the FASTag account through any FASTag assistance counter available at toll plaza or through banks.
There are total 22 listed banks which provide FASTags.
Meanwhile, the MSRDC is working on converting all toll plazas sooner into hundred per cent FASTag. "Only two -three lanes are available for cash payment at Sealink. Similarly at Mumbai-Pune Expressway currently two dedicated lanes of FASTag has been kept and more dedicated lanes will be added as there will be an increase in number of FASTag users," informed Waghmare.
Daily, about 50,000 vehicles ply on the Bandra Worli Sea Link. A four-wheeler pays Rs 70 (one-way toll) and Rs 105 for return journey. While the toll on expressway ranges between Rs 270 and Rs 420 depending on the size of the vehicle. The 94.5 km stretch of Mumbai-Pune Expressway is the country's first six-lane high-speed, access controlled tolled expressway.
According to the available data with MSRDC, in December 2020 on BWSL Rs 6.37 crore collected through toll by the appointed agency.
