Tourists headed to Mahabaleshwar baffled over toll collection in Panchgani; municipal council official says staff told not to collect fee

Kolhapur: Tourists travelling to Mahabaleshwar via the Pasarni Ghat-Panchgani route have raised concerns over unfair toll collection at the Dandeghar checkpost in Panchgani, claiming they were charged despite specifying their destination, leading to arguments, long queues and unnecessary hassle.According to several travellers, cars are charged Rs 187 and tempos Rs 556 at the toll plaza. Some tourists questioned the legitimacy of this charge, arguing that they should not be required to pay a tax levied by the Panchgani Hill Municipal Council when they were merely passing through en route to Mahabaleshwar.Ganesh Raut, a tourist from Padmavati in Pune, recounted his experience: “Even after telling toll workers that we were headed to Mahabaleshwar, we were charged Rs 187 for our car. We were told we would not have to pay at Venna Lake, but upon arrival, we were charged Rs 50 per person along with a Rs 50 pollution fee for the vehicle, bringing the total to Rs 250. With hundreds of vehicles passing through Panchgani daily, many tourists feel they are being unfairly charged.”Complaints about such practices have surfaced repeatedly over the past few years, but tourists claim that the issue remains unresolved. Ankit Pallod, a trader from Mahabaleshwar, suggested a solution. “There should be clear signboards in Marathi, English and Gujarati languages along the route stating that travellers going directly to Mahabaleshwar need not need to pay toll in Panchgani. This will prevent confusion and make tourists feel more secure.”On the other hand, toll booth authorities maintained that some motorists misuse exemptions. According to an employee at the Dandeghar checkpost, several vehicles claim to be heading towards Mahabaleshwar to avoid paying toll, but are later found parked at Panchgani’s Tableland or in the market area. “Such vehicles are subsequently charged,” the checkpost employee said.Pandit Patil, chief officer of Panchgani Giristhan Municipal Council, acknowledged receiving complaints. “We have instructed toll operators not to collect toll from vehicles proceeding directly to Mahabaleshwar. However, vehicles visiting Tableland or Panchgani market are required to pay the tax,” he said.