NHAI Rejects Plan To Shift Dahisar Toll Plaza Near Versova
On 9 September, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also heads the Urban Development and MSRDC ministries, had approved plans to move the toll plaza approximately two kilometres away from its existing location to help reduce bottlenecks along the route. The current Dahisar toll naka falls under the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) limits, but the proposed relocation would place it within the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) jurisdiction.
The MSRDC formally wrote to NHAI on 22 September, seeking permission to shift the toll plaza beyond the Versova Bridge. However, NHAI’s Mumbai office, which oversees national highways in Maharashtra, announced on X (formerly Twitter) that the Competent Authority had denied the proposal. The post stated that the MSRDC’s plan was not in accordance with national tolling regulations, and this decision had been formally communicated to the state agency.
Earlier, Transport Minister Pratap Sarnaik, during his visit to the Dahisar toll plaza on 13 August, had announced the relocation proposal to ease vehicular congestion and address local residents’ complaints about the bottleneck caused by toll queues. The plan was initially scheduled for implementation by Diwali 2025.
In addition to reducing existing congestion, the shift was also intended to pre-empt traffic build-up from the soon-to-be-operational Metro Line 9, whose one station is located near the current toll plaza. Once the metro line opens, traffic volumes in the area are expected to rise significantly.
However, several political leaders, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), criticised the move as politically motivated, opposing the relocation decision.
Officials from the NHAI, MSRDC, and Minister Pratap Sarnaik were unavailable for comment following the announcement.