Mumbai, September 4: The Maharashtra government has exempted vehicles plying on Konkan routes from paying toll or road tax between September 5 and 19 in view of the Ganesh festival, beginning Saturday. The Public Works Department (PWD) issued a notification on Wednesday to this effect.

The toll waiver will be applicable between September 5 and 19 only for Konkan-bound vehicles travelling on the Mumbai-Bengaluru and Mumbai-Goa national highways, and state highways. Vehicles must obtain a pass issued by RTO officials and the traffic police department to avail of the road tax payment exemption, as per the notification. Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 Wishes, Vinayaka Chavithi Greetings and HD Images: Send WhatsApp Messages, Ganpati Photos and Wallpapers To Celebrate Ganeshotsav.

The PWD also issued a standard pass format with its official notification. The pass document is valid for the vehicle's return journey and serves as the qualifying document for toll payment exemption, it stated. Thousands of people from Mumbai and neighbouring regions travel to their native places in the coastal Konkan region to celebrate the Ganesh Chaturthi festival every year. Ganesh Chaturthi 2024 Special: The Birth of Lord Ganesha, Tale of the Broken Tusk and More, Legends and Mythological Stories for Kids To Celebrate Ganeshotsav.

Several state-run and private buses are expected to carry Konkan-bound passengers ahead of the festival from Mumbai alone. Politicians and various organisations also arrange for private buses to facilitate the journey of Ganesh devotees. The notable surge in vehicular traffic necessitates measures to alleviate congestion, prompting the state government to announce toll waivers to prevent impediments to traffic flow.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)