By Rucha Kanolkar

Copyright timesnownews

Mumbai: In a major relief to commuters, the Dahisar Toll Plaza, located at the entrance of the Mira-Bhayandar region, will be relocated near the nursery close to Versova Bridge, about 2 kilometers away, ahead of Diwali festival. The decision comes after reported concerns over severe traffic congestion and excessive fuel wastage experienced by residents and daily commuters due to the toll’s current location. According to Transport Minister of Maharashtra Pratap Sarnaik, the existing Dahisar Toll Plaza has been a major bottleneck on the highway, causing massive traffic jams and adding to environmental pollution in the area. The situation affected over 1.5 million local residents of Mira-Bhayandar, Dahisar, Thane, vehicle owners, and passengers traveling towards Mumbai, who faced delays of up to 30 to 60 minutes, along with unnecessary fuel consumption. At a review meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the relocation plans received approval. Dahisar MLA Prakash Surve, Manoj Jindal (Deputy Managing Director, Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation), Suhas Chitnis (National Highway Authority official), Police Commissioner Niket Kaushik (Vasai-Virar Commissionerate), and IRB contractor Virendra Mhaiskar, along with other senior authorities were present for the meeting. Minister Sarnaik highlighted, “Under the leadership of CM Eknath Shinde, several tolls in the state were previously abolished, and smaller vehicles were exempted from toll charges. The same proactive approach is now being extended to the Dahisar Toll issue, which falls within the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation jurisdiction. Following the Deputy Chief Minister’s directive, a formal proposal will be sent by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation to the National Highway Authority. After receiving clearance from the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the process to shift the toll will begin. The entire relocation is expected to take about 1 to 1.5 months, ensuring the move is completed before Diwali festivities.