Case lodged against toll booth firm in Nagpur

The Nagpur police has registered a case of cheating against a firm engaged by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation Ltd (MSRDC) for collecting toll tax here.

The Ulhasnagar-based Sai Saran Enterprises was allegedly collecting more than the stipulated amount from commuters and violating other norms such as mentioning the time on the receipt. The police action came after industrialists led by legislators, Ramesh Bang and Sunil Kedar, resorted to a 'chakka-jam'.

Sources said this was for the first time that an offence under section 420 and 35 of the IPC was registered against a toll tax collection agent.

Vehicular traffic near the Wanadongri-Hingna toll tax booth was held up for four-five hours as a result of the agitation. About 100 policemen were deployed to control more than 600 agitators. The agitators also tried to ransack the toll tax booth. But the police quickly controlled the agitation.

Bang has demanded that MSRDC should stop collecting toll tax from local vehicles on all the four toll tax booths till the issue is thoroughly discussed with the state government.

He claimed the MSRDC has no right to collect taxes from rural people who had to use the roads frequently.

"We don't understand why the MSRDC has invented a novel way to tax rural people already struggling to make both ends meet. This cannot be allowed any more," he said.

Sunil Kedar, who spoke to MSRDC's Managing Director, Ramanath Jha over the phone, regretted the attitude of senior officials of the corporation. He said that the matter would have to be taken up with the State Government as the MSRDC didn't appear to be in a mood to settle it amicably.

President of MIDC Industries Association (MIA), Chander Khosla said 5,000 trucks used the MIDC central road daily and had to pay the toll tax increasing the burden of the small units located in the industrial estate.

"If street lights on this road are maintained by MIDC why should a toll tax be collected by another agency," he argued.

He said the MSRDC should shift the toll tax booth from MIDC road to Amravati road. "Here SSI units are trying to survive in an era of stiff competition and are unable to bear more burden in the form of such new taxes. We may have to wind up our operations," he said adding that industries in backward regions should be helped by giving concession and not heaped with taxes.