MSRDC plans of double-decker toll booths for easing traffic in Mumbai

In order to ensure smooth traffic movement at five entry and exit points of the city, the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) is trying to bring in double-decker toll booths wherein toll collection centres will be constructed above the existing toll booths for traffic to get divided, and to ensure there are no bottlenecks.

This plan is being given a thought considering there is no possibility to go horizontal for having additional lanes for toll collection, and hence MSRDC thinks going vertical may help.

An MSRDC official said, "There is a proposal of having double decker toll booths by having a steel structure, and ramps for approaching upwards and downwards the toll booths above. Steel structure is just one of it but currently various options are being explored to identify what measures will help one to ensure motorists spend minimum time to pay toll."

Further, these steel structures will only be used by light motor vehicles and for heavy vehicles the existing ground level toll booths only will have to be used.

The MSRDC official added, "We have also appointed IIT-Bombay that is currently carrying out a study on how to ensure there is smooth traffic movement at toll nakas. And having double decker toll naka will also be part of a study to ensure whether it will be feasible idea or not."

According to rough estimations, around 22,000 vehicles pass (includes all types of vehicles) every hour via five toll booths located at Dahisar, Airoli, Mulund, LBS Marg, Mulund EEH and Vashi. There have been instances wherein motorists have to wait for more than 10 to 15 minutes for paying toll at these five toll booths, and having double decker toll booths may ensure swift movement, MSRDC officials opine.

However, AV Shenoy, Transport Expert said, "Having vertical solution is temporary and sort term whereas we should ensure that there is a limit in movement of light motor vehicles from in and out city that will happen by making the satellite cities near Mumbai less dependent on Mumbai. This will come only by having sufficient infrastructure in every sense like growth centers and commercial hubs in nearby satellite cities."

Viraj Mamania, a Dahisar resident said, "There was a yellow concept introduced by state government for leaving vehicles without paying toll if number of vehicles cross the yellow line but that was never implemented properly. If that is implemented, having double decker toll booths will not be required."

Earlier, the MSRDC had mooted idea of having yellow lines being marked near toll collection booths wherein if a vehicles go beyond yellow lines, the toll collection would be stopped and vehicles will be left for smooth traffic movement.