Rs 5.16 cr toll refund cleared for one lakh motorists after 33-hour Mumbai-Pune Expressway gridlock

More than one lakh motorists stranded for hours on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway earlier this month will now see their toll money returned. The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has decided to refund Rs 5.16 crore collected during the disruption triggered by a gas tanker accident.

On February 3, a gas tanker turned turtle on the Khopoli stretch of the Expressway, bringing traffic to a grinding halt for 33 hours. Vehicles were stuck for several kilometres, with many motorists and passengers reporting shortages of water, food and other essentials as the blockade stretched through the day and night.

Following the mishap, the administration ordered an immediate suspension of toll collection. However, by the time the directive took effect, toll charges had already been deducted from the FASTag accounts of several commuters.

"It has been decided to refund the entire amount collected from vehicle owners even after the order to halt toll collection was issued. The refund of Rs 5.16 crore will be processed by MSRDC. The amount will be directly credited to FASTag accounts of affected vehicle owners in the next few days," a senior MSRDC official told PTI on Sunday.

The refund will cover tolls collected on both highways. The toll operator has been directed to provide detailed FASTag transaction data to ensure all affected motorists are identified.

"Some transactions may have been automatically processed before the toll plaza barriers were fully opened despite instructions to stop collection. All such transactions are being scrutinised and the amounts will be returned to the concerned motorists," the official said.