Pune: In a move to facilitate smoother travel for devotees heading to Konkan for Ganeshotsav, the Maharashtra state government has announced a toll waiver for vehicles traveling on key routes.

This exemption will be available from September 5 to 19, 2024, on the Mumbai-Bangalore National Highway (NH 48), Mumbai-Goa National Highway (NH 66), and other roads under the Public Works Department and Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation. The toll waiver will also extend to State Transport (ST) buses.

The order, issued by Deputy Secretary of Public Works Department Sachin Chivate under the directive of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, outlines that special toll exemption passes will be distributed to eligible vehicles. These passes, labeled “Ganeshotsav 2024 Konkan Darshan,” will display the vehicle number and the driver’s name.

To ensure the smooth issuance of these passes, the government has instructed rural and urban police departments, along with the Regional Transport Offices (RTO), to coordinate efforts.

The passes will be made available at designated police stations, traffic police outposts, and RTO offices. The Public Works Department in Mumbai will receive aggregated data on the number of passes issued.

The order issued by the Public Works Department's Deputy Secretary Sachin Chivate, following instructions from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde aims to ease the travel experience for thousands of devotees making their annual pilgrimage to Konkan during the Ganesh festival, reducing congestion and travel costs associated with tolls.