More than one lakh motorists stranded during a massive traffic gridlock on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway earlier this month will receive toll refunds worth Rs 5.16 crore, after authorities decided to return charges deducted despite suspension orders.The disruption followed a gas tanker accident on February 3 on the Khopoli stretch of the expressway, which triggered a 33-hour traffic standstill stretching several kilometres and left travellers facing shortages of water, food and other basic amenities.A senior Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) official said the refunds would be credited directly to affected users’ FASTag accounts, PTI reported.“It has been decided to refund the entire amount collected from vehicle owners even after the order to halt toll collection was issued. The refund of Rs 5.16 crore will be processed by MSRDC. The amount will be directly credited to FASTag accounts of affected vehicle owners in the next few days,” the official told PTI.Following the accident, the administration had ordered immediate suspension of toll collection, but toll deductions had already been processed for several vehicles through FASTag systems.The refund will cover toll collected on both highways, and the toll operator has been directed to provide detailed FASTag transaction data for verification, the official said.“Some transactions may have been automatically processed before the toll plaza barriers were fully opened despite instructions to stop collection. All such transactions are being scrutinised and the amounts will be returned to the concerned motorists,” the official added.
