Ashmi Road Carriers Private Limited (ARCPL), a company headed by city businessman Pyare Khan has bagged the contract to operate toll booths along the entire Samruddhi Mahamarg Expressway, and the Rajiv Gandhi Bandra-Worli sea link in Mumbai, for a period of three months.
ARCPL emerged as the lowest bidder, offering to take a revenue share of 4.58% and 5.64% out of the toll collections in Samrudhi Mahamarg and the Rajiv Gandhi Sea link respectively from the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). The company competed with six other players for both the deals.
“The contract for the sea link was bagged at slender margin,” Khan told TOI. ‘It’s a matter of pride for a firm in Nagpur to have bagged such a prestigious contract in the state,” added Khan.He said the company has taken over operations on both the routes. As a toll operator, the mandate will also be to ensure better traffic management and do away with traffic jams, especially on the expressway.
“The company will also be carrying out safety awareness drives by giving out messages to drivers that they should remain careful as dear ones are waiting at home. We have also suggested the MSRDC to have facilities for drivers to take a break at regular distances along the expressway so that the speed is controlled,” he said
ARCPL already has a standing in the business and has been managing toll on other highways built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), said Khan.
