MUMBAI: MNS chief Raj Thackeray on Tuesday rejected the chief minister's last-minute offer to hold talks on the road toll issue. The party will go ahead with its planned rasta roko on Wednesday. Thackeray said he would lead the non-violent day-long agitation at the Vashi toll plaza and his activists would shut all toll nakas on highways across the state beginning 9am.
On its part, the Mumbai police plans to throw an informal cordon around the MNS chief's Shivaji Park home to try and deter him from moving out. Over 1.80 lakh policemen will be deployed across the state; contingents of the Rapid Action Force and State Reserve Police Force have also been requisitioned. More than 170 MNS activists were detained in Navi Mumbai on Tuesday.
Thackeray said he had made it clear to the government that he was not interested in "empty negotiations". "The CM should fix a deadline to review the flawed toll collection system and introduce accountability and transparency in it," he said. However, he added that party activists have been told not to destroy public property or disrupt peace.
Thackeray's assurance follows two cases of vandalism on the eve of the agitation. While cops made one arrest for vandalizing a toll naka on the Uran-Panvel road on Monday, the Kon toll naka in Panvel on the old Mumbai-Pune highway was attacked on Tuesday. "I express my regret to citizens for the inconvenience they may have to face tomorrow. But I have hardly any choice," said Thackeray.
Mumbaikars must brace for a day of inconvenience, and not just on the transportation front.
At a press conference at his residence on Tuesday evening, Thackeray said he would hold negotiations with the CM on the condition that he announces an end to toll collection within 30 days, in the presence of the media, to dispel any notion of an underhand deal. Chavan rejected the idea. Should the government turn a deaf ear to our plea to overhaul the toll system, the party will hold a long march from Girgaum chowpatty to Mantralaya on February 21 to highlight the government's apathy, said Thackeray.
Garbage won't be lifted on Wednesday as more than 2,000 conservancy trucks support the agitation. Auto and taxi services will be partly hit in the morning as more than 35,000 drivers have pledged their support. BEST will restrict operations of its AC buses in the morning. It will run non-AC buses only till the toll nakas at Dahisar, Mulund and Mankhurd.
MNS transport union leader Haji Arafat Shaikh said the APMC wholesale market in Navi Mumbai will be forced to shut as trucks will observe a day's bandh.
Bal Malkit Singh of All India Motor Transport Congress confirmed that 27 lakh truck drivers across Maharashtra support the agitation. AIMTC has advised all its truckers and transporters not to ply from the midnight of Tuesday till the midnight of Wednesday in or into Maharashtra.
Even as parents of school children are worried, only a handful of schools have announced a holiday. "We got an SMS from the school saying it will remain shut. But no other school in the neighbourhood has declared a holiday," said the mother of a student of Bombay Scottish School, Mahim. While the School Bus Owners' Association said they will not participate, there was still confusion till late on Tuesday about the status of other schools. None of the colleges will remain shut.
Shivaji Park police on Tuesday issued a notice to Thackeray to maintain peace and law and order and not to proceed with his call for disrupting toll services. The police said strict action would be taken under the Destruction of Public Properties Act. The police have also enforced an order to declare various areas surrounding toll booth centres as prohibited to a gathering of five or more persons till February 21 and have banned rasta rokos, morchas and protests there.
Mumbai's acting police commissioner Hemant Nagarale told the media that keeping in mind the statewide agitation, police have taken all legal steps and will deal with the situation firmly. "All leaves have been cancelled. We will ensure no untoward incident takes place. There may be some vandalism but we will ensure the safety and security of common man. It is a big challenge for us."
The government has deployed more than 60% of its strength to counter the agitation. Police are ready with tear gas, rapid action force, water guns, and other ammunitions to take on those who dare damage public property. District police have been instructed to initiate strict action against those who resort to demonstrations.
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