• By Priyanka Koul
  • Thu, 21 Aug 2025 08:26 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

Ganeshotsav 2025: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday announced that vehicles carrying Ganesh devotees to Konkan, along with state transport buses, will be exempted from paying toll during the upcoming festival.

The exemption will remain in place from August 23 to September 8 on the Mumbai–Bengaluru National Highway, Mumbai–Goa National Highway, as well as on roads managed by the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).

For this purpose, a special Ganeshotsav 2025 toll-free pass will be issued, containing the vehicle number and the owner’s details. According to the state government, these passes will be distributed through regional transport authority offices and the police department, and will also be valid for return journeys.

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Both city and rural police, along with RTOs, have been instructed to work together to ensure devotees get their passes on time without inconvenience.

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Every year, lakhs of devotees travel back to their hometowns in Konkan to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi in the month of Bhadrapad. Shinde said the decision will ease their journey and provide relief to thousands of families.