Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Mumbai–Pune Expressway Jam: ₹5.16 Crore Toll Refund Announced For Over 1 Lakh Motorists
More than one lakh motorists stranded in a massive traffic gridlock on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway earlier this month will receive toll refunds totalling about ₹5.16 crore. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) told PTI that it will credit the amount directly to FASTag accounts of the affected motorists.
The refund follows a prolonged disruption on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that started on February 3rd, which was caused by a gas tanker accident that brought traffic to a standstill for over 33 hours on the side heading towards Pune.
Mumbai-Pune Expressway Jam: Cause Of The Traffic Disruption
The traffic disruption on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway began on February 3 after a gas tanker overturned near the Adoshi Tunnel in the Khandala Ghat section. The accident prompted an emergency from both national and state disaster response teams. As a precautionary measure, traffic moving towards Pune was brought to an immediate halt on the expressway.
Queues following the accident on the 3rd of February reportedly stretched for nearly 20 km, leaving thousands of motorists stranded for hours without access to food, water and other basic facilities.
Mumbai-Pune Expressway Jam: Toll Collected To Be Refunded Via FASTag
The MSRDC had ordered an immediate suspension of toll collection on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway following the accident. However, toll charges had already been deducted from FASTag accounts of many vehicles before the suspension took effect. MSRDC officials stated that the entire amount collected during the disruption will be refunded back to affected motorists.
The refund of ₹5.16 crore will be processed using FASTag transaction data and MSRDC has already instructed toll operators to submit detailed records to identify the vehicles eligible for the same. Once those affected motorists are identified, the refunded amount will be credited directly to vehicle owners' FASTag accounts in the coming days.
The refund will cover tolls collected not only on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway but also on affected sections of the Pune-Bengaluru National Highway during the same disruption period. This broader refund coverage accounts for diversions and spillover congestion caused by the accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway on the 3rd of February.
The refunding of the toll amount collected will come as some respite to the affected motorists, many of whom were stuck for hours without access to food, water and the basic facilities on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway. Thankfully, individual affected motorists will not have to make claims for their refunds, as the usage of FASTag transaction data will automatically identify those affected and refund the deducted toll amount into the account from which the toll was deducted.
Images Source: PTI
Continue with Google