Toll Plazas...

Yesterday I came from Borivali to Ulhasnagar through a roadway in one of my friend' car. Being an Working weekday, I expected to reach by 75mins or so using Ghodbunder Highway. Usually a hour and half is more than enough on an Open Highway.

We started our journey at 3pm after lunch from a South Indian Restaurant in Borivali. I rarely approach a roadway, as I travel day and night using public transport. Hence Railways are Faster and Cheaper mode of transport to me.

We reached home @ 6.00 in the Evening.. We never expected it will take so long to travel only 55kms. We travelled long distances in very small span of time but Few junctions made us wait for hours in Traffic Jam. It was not due to any Road Accident or some road blocks, It was due to TOLL PLAZAS.... Few Toll Plazas gotta multilanes which is OK and hence traffic jams are rarely to see at those places, but few are like YUCKS, no Multilanes present, and a long jam appears in a few hours..

First Question that comes to my Mind, why do we have Toll Plazas? We already pay so many taxes, Why this Road Tax too for using an Government Road... Highways Development and Infrastructure is taken care by central government which collects Income Tax.. Billions & Trillions of Amount is received through Income Tax yearly. Where's the huge amount being Invested ???

Even this Toll Plazas which are in operation since Years, Road development in those areas are poor and Pathetic. Where's the huge Amount Collected since years is Invested in or its just an Simply an Source of Income for the Toll Owners..Some Toll Plazas are still operating as their operational date is also expired...

I came across 4(Four) Toll Plaza while travelling from Borivali to Ulhasnagar.. Single passport stamp would have taken me across Border. Why 4 different Toll Plazas in an single District Travel?

Most Embarassing moment was when I realized Wastage of Tonnes of Petrol and Diesel due to these stupid traffic Jams.. Shucks....... Even So much Energy is wasted there, Petrol, Time... Today Time is the most Expensive item to buy.. Temples even have VIP zones...  BEST buses and ST buses aren't spared from these Toll Plazas, they get some monthly discounted coupon. Why does State buses need to pay?.. SHUCKS again...

For a simple 4-wheeler Santro Car, First Toll Plaza collected 30 bucks, then 20, then 38 and then 25. so a return Journey costed around 225 bucks for 4 people... Rather an train journey would have costed even less than 100 bucks for the four.

I cursed Government the most, as usual. Few people who had Siren on their car or had POLICE written at their front number plates were only spared from toll else all other were made to pay unnecessarily. I am not against paying Road Toll, but If a traveller is charged, we do expect High Quality roads to be present, which are not. Hence I dont favour Toll Plazas.

I doubt if Developed countries have an concept of Toll Plaza.. Infrastructure Development in India has gained pace in last few years, but still Connectivity between Cities needs to be Improved. 4 toll Plazas in a same district that too, few on narrow roads can lead to huge Jams. When will Government understand what actually an Common man want?

To End up I am not against Toll Plazas. I am OK to pay the Road Tax, provided there's no traffic jams, Road Infrastructure should be top class, and mechanism of collecting money should be faster and simpler. Emergency mechanisms should be provided viz Ambulance and Fire brigade., at proper distances for public safety. I understand Maintanence of Road also Costs hence I am ready to pay, provided Government First Implement such high class services, then start collecting Money for Maintenance.