MSRDC decides to increase toll on the sea link

From Thursday, April 1, those travelling by the sea link from Bandra to Worli in Mumbai will have to pay an increased toll fee.

According to sources, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has decided to increase the toll on the sea link from April 1. As per the rules, the toll is supposed to be increased every three years.

The rates have been hiked by about 18 per cent to INR 85 for motor vehicles and small vehicles, INR 130 for minibus-like vehicles and INR 175 for buses and trucks. Moreover, the state government has given an extension till 2052 for toll collection on the Worli-Bandra sea bridge.

Meanwhile, the MSRDC had earlier informed that FASTag holders travelling on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and the Bandra-Worli route, are to receive a discount. Moreover, the concession scheme has started on January 11 and will be ongoing for a limited period of time. For those travelling on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and Bandra-Worli Sea Bridge, 5 per cent of the toll on each ferry will be credited directly to the vehicle owner's FASTag Bank account through the Corporation, as per reports.

In order to ease traffic congestion at toll plazas, the Central Government has made FASTag mandatory for all vehicles. The Union Ministry of Transport and Highways had earlier stated that the toll on all national highways in the country should be paid through FASTag after December 1, 2019. The deadline was extended to December 15. However, this facility has been implemented from January 1, 2021. However, for vehicles in Mumbai, the deadline was February 15.