Title - E-toll collection on sea link from tomorrow - The Times of India

MUMBAI: The toll collection on the Bandra-Worli sea link will go electronic from Monday on an experimental basis.

"The e-toll collection system will be implemented on an experimental basis on the sea link for five to six days starting Monday. The final decision will be taken after reviewing the results," said a senior Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) official.

The move comes amid allegations of illegal collection of money through toll by hiding the vehicle count. The state has decided to bring in transparency in the toll system by flashing daily collection status on electronic indicators or boards at all the six toll plazas, including five on the city's fringes.

The banners will flash total cost of the project against which toll is being collected, collection so far, remaining collection, contract deadline, name of the contractor, toll-hike chart, daily vehicle count and the daily collection.

"Once we make the toll-collection process at all the toll plazas electronic, we will be able to get daily updates on number of vehicles that either pay the levy or use passes and coupons," he said.

Whereas people argue that 5 lakh vehicles use the toll posts at Vashi, Mulund, Airoli, LBS, sea link and Dahisar, paying over Rs 1.38 crore toll to the state, state officials said the numbers were 2.5 lakh and Rs 75 lakh respectively as the vehicle count taken by them was wrong. Nearly 60% vehicles have bought monthly passes, smart cards or coupons whereas only 40% pay money daily, said officials.

In Mumbai, the collection is being done against Rs 2,100 crore contract awarded to Mumbai Entry Point Toll (MEPL) for maintenance of 27 flyovers and five subways and modernization of five toll posts on city's fringes.

The contract will end in 2026, which means Mumbaikars will have to pay until then. For BWSL toll post, the present contract to MEPL is till the time the builder of next Worli-Haji Ali sea link takes over toll collection.