A gas tanker overturned on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, bringing the highway to a standstill for nearly 33 hours. The prolonged traffic jam created severe difficulties for at least one lakh drivers, who faced shortages of food and water and could not move their vehicles. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of expressway traffic management during emergencies.
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Why toll money is being refunded
The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation announced that toll money collected from affected drivers would be refunded, totalling over 5 crore rupees. The decision was made because ordinary passengers endured extreme hardship due to the prolonged congestion. Although toll collection was officially suspended during the jam, some vehicles had already paid, and in some cases, the toll was automatically deducted. Political leaders and consumer organisations demanded refunds, pointing out the expressway's lack of preparedness for such emergencies.
Rules for toll refund
Toll money can be refunded if it was mistakenly collected, deducted twice, or if a vehicle is stuck beyond the 100-meter queue mark in front of the toll booth. A yellow line is typically drawn 100 meters from the booth to indicate the limit beyond which tolls should not be charged.
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February 3 incident
On February 3, the gas tanker accident occurred in the Khopoli section, creating a 33-hour traffic jam. Drivers were unable to move, and many paid the toll before authorities could stop collection. The refundable amount of 5.16 crore rupees will be credited to drivers' FASTag accounts in the coming days, ensuring that those who were charged during the standstill are reimbursed.
