misbehaviour at aarey colony toll road collection booths and passes for residents

**mayank1977** · 02-03-2009, 10:52 AM

I live in royal palms estate, Aarey Colony and have to pay a toll of Rs 15 everytime i need to get back home. I have been doing this for the last 6 months.

There are very few facilities and commercial establishments on this road, therefore i have to visit the goregaon market nearby frequently in a day. Everytime i come back home, i have to pay Rs 15. Sometimes, I am forced to pay Rs 60-90 everyday just to get groceries from nearby markets. When I ask the toll collectors about a monthly pass or a entry pass for residents of royal palms, they say there is no such provision and ask to visit the arrey milk colony CEO office and inquire there. At the aarey milk colony office, i was told that residents of societies in aarey colony have been isued entry cards from there and will be delivered to royal palms. At royal palms, i was told to use my royal palms resident card at the toll. At the toll, the collectors frequently misbehave on producing the card, refusing to accept it, and force you to pay Rs 15 in a manner close to extortion. Moreover, the condition of the roads is pathetic and they are poorly maintained, patchy and broken.

How do I use the <ACRONYM title="Right to Information">RTI</ACRONYM> act to find out what is the provision for residents of the area in toll road?

Are they entitled to access through their resident cards?
If they are, can i reclaim the money i have been forced to pay over the elast few months?

Is there a separate provision to buy monthly passes?

Whom should I address my queries to and where can I get an <ACRONYM title="Right to Information">RTI</ACRONYM> form?

What should I write?

Are they bound to reply within a certain time period?

Would really appreciate if someone could please answer.

Thanks and regards

Mayank

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**karira** · 02-04-2009, 08:48 AM

Sponsorer

Mayank,

Another member started a similar thread:

Toll for road through Aarey Milk Colony Mumbai

But progress is not known.

Please go through that thread.
Please also read the links given below the "All about RTI" icon on the home page.
The Guide section (RTI Guide) also has some useful articles about the What, How, Where, When about RTI Act 2005. Most of your queries will be answered by reading those.

Your RTI application seeking information has to be replied to within 30 days, by the PIO.

If you have further doubts, please post them here and our helpful members will be pleased to guide you further.

**ashish.tiwari** · 04-07-2009, 04:51 PM

I'm willing to pursue this case even though I do not live inside Aarey, but the way those guys employed to collect road toll behave, that bothers me big time.

I'd search on this topic for quite some time. Worst thing is that there is collusion between the Aarey and toll operators. Aarey would set a high toll tax that would fetch a high collection to the toll collector. Toll booth operations are awarded after a sealed auction. If an operator bids for Rs 24 Cr for two years, if would be paying Rs 1 Cr to Aarey no matter what. Don’t be surprised; Aarey authority has already increased toll to help the toll collector. The current toll operator had gone to high court when bid (which was highest) was rejected on flimsy grounds and won. One politician had preferred operator.

The road built is really very good, but there are some rough patches/stretches existing for at least 3-4 years. The problem is the people who use Aarey gate to reach their home. They would be spending pretty good money on toll. Resident passes were declared by Govt. long time, but it is given only to persons having business with Aarey only. There must be something for residential owners too.

Having read all this, can Sr member please help me framing the questions for this.

**ashish.tiwari** · 04-07-2009, 05:30 PM

Toll of Mumbai-Pune expressway for a private 4 wheelers works out to be Rs 1.50 per km which is 6 lane, toll free phone booth every 500 meters, car mechanic on call, repaired continously, well painted lanes, no street lights but cat eyes turn indicators,

Toll tax for Aarey works out to be Rs 2.5 per km, which is just 2 lanes, not maintained in last 4-5 years, no phone booth, no street lights, no painted lanes, no lights, no petrol pump.

The government is literally handing over our money paid as toll tax to a contractor.

**karira** · 04-08-2009, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by ashish.tiwari

Having read all this, can Sr member please help me framing the questions for this.

Why don't you make a draft application and upload it here ?
Our helpful members will guide you further in case any changes are necessary.