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<p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said that the cabinet will discuss the issue of toll collection on Wednesday, adding that there could be an audit of tolls in the state. It would add to the state government&#39;s burden if collective toll charges amounting to INR 1,000 crores are stopped, he said.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">He said that a detailed scrutiny of various aspects of toll is done by an expert committee before awarding the road tender. The road tenders are floated online and the number of years required completing the work, the expenditure, the numbers of vehicles that will use the road are considered, he said.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">His statements came after Raj Thackeray&#39;s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena workers on Monday went on the rampage, vandalizing toll plazas in different parts of the state following their leader&#39;s diktat not to pay the levy and &quot;thrash&quot; those who raise a voice against it.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">&quot;A detailed scrutiny of various aspects related to tolls is done. Discussions on aspects of cash allocations, infrastructure, finance, planning, law department, public works department, road development departments are done by a committee, which constitutes of technical experts in the field,&quot; Pawar said.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">&quot;Toll plazas in some parts of the state were closed after people complained. The state government paid from its own funds. If funds from state budget are allocated for tolls, it would hamper other development plans,&quot; he said.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">He said that people had come forward demanding construction of roads and flyovers on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis, that toll would be levied.&nbsp;</span></span></span><span style="color:rgb(105, 105, 105); font-family:arial; font-size:11px; line-height:1.6em">Replying to the allegations made by MP Raju Shetty that the public works department and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) violated norms on tolls, Pawar said that proof regarding the allegations should be submitted and immediate action would be taken, if any discrepancies are observed.</span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Pawar added that the police are investigating the toll agitation and it would be seen if any action can be taken on persons, who instigated the violence across the state.</span></span></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify"><span style="color:#696969"><span style="font-size:11px"><span style="font-family:arial">Source-On Request</span></span></span></p>