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Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City

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Mumbai To Go Toll-Free Tonight! Maharashtra Govt Announces Complete Toll Waiver For Light Motor Vehicles At All 5 Entry Points Of City

Mumbai: In a major announcement after Maharashtra’s state cabinet meeting ahead of assembly polls, the Maharashtra government on Monday announced a complete toll waiver for light motor vehicles at all five toll booths on Mumbai entry points. The implementation of the same will begin at 12 am tonight.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde reportedly made the announcement during the Maharashtra Cabinet meeting. He declared a toll waiver at five key toll booths in Mumbai, a move aimed at easing the movement of people during the festive season, particularly Diwali.

Which Are The 5 Entry Points Of Mumbai?

This decision ends the toll collection from light motor vehicles at the Dahisar, Mulund West (LBS Road), Vashi, Airoli and Mulund East toll booths. The toll charged for LMVs at all the toll plazas was Rs 45. The cabinet decision taken today follows a series of populist decisions to lure voters to Mahayuti in the assembly polls slated to be held next month.

The scrapping of toll at all the above mentioned toll plazas was a long-time demand from several political parties and citizen groups as well. This decision is expected to benefit commuters by allowing them to travel in and out of Mumbai without paying toll fees. Light motor vehicles include cars, jeeps, vans and small trucks, primarily used for carrying passengers or goods.

Details On Toll Booths

The toll booths were originally constructed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) as part of a larger project to build 55 flyovers in Mumbai. The toll booths were set up at the city’s entry points to recover the construction costs of these flyovers. The project reached its final stages in 1999, and tenders were issued for the construction of the toll booths. By 2002, all five toll booths were operational and toll collection began.

Longstanding Demand By Political Parties

The demand for toll waivers, particularly on the entry points into Mumbai, has been a longstanding issue. Political parties like the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and factions of the Shiv Sena, both Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde’s groups, have consistently pushed for this move. Recently, Aaditya Thackeray, a leader of the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, reiterated the demand for toll exemptions.

Maharashtra

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray Returns To Matoshree After Undergoing Angioplasty At Reliance Hospital

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Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray Returns To Matoshree After Undergoing Angioplasty At Reliance Hospital

The former Maharashtra chief minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday returned to his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai after undergoing an angioplasty at Sir H N Reliance Hospital.

As per reports, Thackeray was admitted to HN Reliance Hospital for an “extensive” heart checkup on Monday.

Giving an update on Thackeray’s health, his son Aaditya Thackeray, in a post on X later said that the checkup was a pre-planned one and that his father was ready to go back to work.

“This morning, Uddhav Thackeray ji did a pre planned detailed check up at the Sir HN Reliance Hospital. With your best wishes, All is well, and he is fully ready to get to work and serve the people,” wrote Aaditya in a post on X.

This morning, Uddhav Thackeray ji did a pre planned detailed check up at the Sir HN Reliance Hospital.

With your best wishes, All is well, and he is fully ready to get to work and serve the people.

Earlier in 2016, Thackeray was discharged from the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai where he underwent angiography.

Thackeray underwent the procedure in a follow-up to the angioplasty which he had had on July 20, 2012, when doctors put in 8 stents to remove the constrictions for multiple blockages in three main arteries in his heart.

The former Maharashtra CM underwent a second angioplasty in November 2012 to remove the blockages in the left anterior descending artery (LAD), which was blocked by almost 60 per cent.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Elections 2024: State To Go For Polls On November 20; Counting Of Votes On November 23

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Maharashtra Elections 2024: State To Go For Polls On November 20; Counting Of Votes On November 23

Mumbai: The Election Commission of India (ECI) today announced the schedule for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, setting the stage for a high-stakes political battle in the state. The elections will be conducted in a single phase, with the polling date on November 20. The counting of votes will take place on November 23.

The announcement brings Maharashtra, one of the country’s most politically crucial states, closer to determining its next government. With 288 Assembly seats up for grabs, the elections are expected to be a crucial contest between the ruling Mahayuti coalition and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

Tough Fight Between Both Alliances

The ruling Mahayuti, a coalition led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), also includes the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar. This alliance currently holds power in the state, with Eknath Shinde serving as Chief Minister and Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Ministers.

On the other side, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) is gearing up for a tough contest. The MVA consists of the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT). The coalition, which previously governed the state until political shifts in 2022, is positioning itself to challenge the ruling Mahayuti on various fronts, including economic and social issues.

Key Battles & Major Concerns

The key battlegrounds for the election will be the state’s urban centres like Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur, as well as rural regions where agrarian issues, unemployment and infrastructure development remain major concerns. Both coalitions are expected to focus heavily on these issues during their campaigns, with the Mahayuti likely to emphasize continuity and development and the MVA focusing on governance and policy critiques of the current administration.

The Maharashtra Assembly’s term is set to conclude on November 26. The last Assembly elections in Maharashtra were held in 2019 and the state has since witnessed major political shifts, most notably the splits in the Shiv Sena and NCP along with their alliance with the BJP.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: ‘Mahayuti Alliance Partners Have Reached Consensus On 225-230 Seats,’ Says Senior NCP Leader Praful Patel

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Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: 'Mahayuti Alliance Partners Have Reached Consensus On 225-230 Seats,' Says Senior NCP Leader Praful Patel

Mumbai: Senior NCP leader Praful Patel on Monday said the ruling Mahayuti alliance partners have reached a consensus on around 230 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra assembly.

“We have reached a consensus on 225-230 seats. Once the other seats are finalised, we will let you (media) know in the next two to four days,” Patel told reporters.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar On Rift Between Mahayuti Alliance

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Saturday sought to clarify the reports of a rift between the Mahayuti alliance – which comprises his NCP, the BJP, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena – and speculation over his leaving the state Cabinet meeting early, saying “all is well.”

Ajit Pawar’s early departure sparked speculation about a potential rift within the Mahayuti alliance, just as Maharashtra prepares for the upcoming assembly elections, likely to be announced in a day. The term of the current assembly ends on November 26.

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