No toll on Sangli-Kolhapur road, says Jayant Patil

KOLHAPUR: Former rural development minister and senior leader of Nationalist Congress Party Jayant Patil criticized the state government over slow progress in road construction activities. Patil referred to the pending work to make Sangli Kolhapur road into a four lane one. The road is a part of Nagpur-Ratnagiri highway.
Patil said, "Already the road widening work is delayed.The road should not have a toll booth. The state government has not made its stand clear on introducing toll booth on the road." When the project was announced, it was proposed to have a toll collection booth so that the cost of construction can be recovered.
The former minister also raised questions about the stand of the state government in the matter saying, "The toll booths are going to be there. The government is simply passing on the burden of passenger vehicles to goods carriers which will lead to inflation."
When asked about road construction contractors and their political affiliation, Patil said, "They are certainly not NCP workers. If the names of the road contractors are revealed it would be an eye opener for those who are making such allegations. It is an attempt to malign the image of the party."