The Shiv Sainiks on Tuesday forced the closure of a toll plaza at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (CSIA) in protest against the GVK group’s decision to levy Rs 130 each as toll on all vehicles coming to the CSIA. In line with a written protest that Shiv Sena’s senior MlC Anil Parab had lodged with the GVK group on May 12, the Sena activists staged a noisy demonstration demanding the withdrawal of Rs 130 each as toll on vehicles coming to the CSIA. The CSIA is managed by the GVK group.
During the protests, the Sena activists — who carried plazards demanding the closure of toll plaza — shouted vociferous slogans against GVK Group and forcefully shut down a toll plaza set up at the city airport.
In his letter to GVK group, Parab had said that the toll of Rs 130 levied on each vehicle coming to the city airport was “illegal” and should be discontinued forthwith.
Parab, who led the Sena’s protests at the airport on Tuesday, warned the GVK group that if it continued to impose toll on the vehicles coming to the airport, his party close down the airport itself.
“Why should vehicle owners pay a toll of Rs 130 for merely bringing the vehicle to the airportIJ Mind you, the car owners concerned don’t park their vehicles there. They merely come and drop their near and dear ones at the airport and go away. For that why should the vehicle owners be asked to pay toll of Rs 130 eachIJ,” Parab asked.
Following the Sena’s protests, the authorities beefed up the security in and around CSIA to ensure against untoward incidents.