NASHIK: The local residents in the district are facing difficulties while driving on highways due to the behaviour of toll gate personnel at various points of the district in the name of toll collection after the government has made FASTag mandatory. They are facing problems. Arguments are taking place between locals and toll plaza employees. This scenario is regular on all the toll plazas in the district, including Ghoti, Chandwad, Pimpalgaon, Shinde toll plaza, since the FASTag made it mandatory.
The toll plaza near Ghoti on the Mumbai-Nashik highway has been set up at the wrong place as per the locals. The locals had demanded that this toll plaza should have been built on the Nashik-Thane border next to the Ghatandevi temple. The demand for the same is surfacing again after the issue. If this toll plaza is shifted or has been built earlier, there was no issue for the locals.
There is a possibility of escalation of conflict among the citizens and employees and this has led to intense resentment. Also, since February 15, a traffic jam is seen at the toll plaza, and the situation is getting worse due to arguments between the vehicle owners and the toll administration staff. Vehicle owners have to stand in line for hours despite having FASTag. It took a long time for an ambulance carrying a patient to pass the toll.
The toll administration did not even take the simple step of clearing the way for the ambulance. With the appointment of a new toll collection company at the toll plaza, these workers are arbitrarily harassing local motorists. They have warned that the recovery from locals should get stopped immediately, otherwise the locals will strongly oppose and agitate for the same. It is noteworthy that many local organizations and political parties have given statements to the government that local vehicle owners should get toll exemption at Ghoti toll plaza.
