Bombay High Court seeks details of total toll collected on Mumbai-Pune Expressway
Bombay High Court seeks details of total toll collected on Mumbai-Pune Expressway
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the state government to submit details of the survey carried out by the Public Works Department, indicating the toll collected on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway from 2004 till date.
A division bench of Justice Abhay Oka and Justice Riyaz Chagla, gave the directions while hearing a plea filed by activist Pravin Wategaonkar. He argued in court that there was under-reporting of the toll incomes by the contractor.
On the last hearing date, the government has informed the court that it would take nine weeks to decide whether toll should be collected on the Mumbai-Pune Express Highway as it was awaiting a report on it from Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
The petition seeks directions that toll being collected by Mhaiskar Infrastructure Private Limited, be revoked. It is claimed that the contractor has already recovered the cost of the project as per its agreement with the state authorities and, despite that, it continues to collect toll, thereby making “wrongful gain”.
In July 2017, the state government had informed the high court that the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) had initiated a discreet inquiry into the allegations. The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.
According to the petitions, the contractor has already recovered Rs 2,869 crore that it was entitled to and was now making wrongful gains by continuing to collect toll from common public.